fix elb: cp instead of mv for .elh files, preserves headers for downstream modules

Replace accumulate-by-concatenation loops with native_list_append + str_join.
Eliminates quadratic memory growth when processing large source files.
This is the v2 compiler state — what produced /tmp/elc-v2.

.gitea/workflows/sdk-release.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,166 @@
+name: El SDK Release
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+
+jobs:
+  build-and-release:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Install build dependencies
+        run: |
+          apt-get update -qq
+          apt-get install -y gcc libcurl4-openssl-dev
+
+      # Gen2: compile the bootstrap C source into a working elc binary
+      - name: Build elc from bootstrap (gen2)
+        run: |
+          gcc -O2 \
+            -I el-compiler/runtime \
+            dist/elc-bootstrap.c \
+            el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.c \
+            -lcurl -lpthread \
+            -o dist/elc-gen2
+          chmod +x dist/elc-gen2
+          echo "gen2 elc built"
+          dist/elc-gen2 --version || true
+
+      # Gen3: use gen2 to compile the El compiler from its own El source (self-host)
+      - name: Self-host: compile El compiler with gen2 (gen3)
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p dist/platform
+          dist/elc-gen2 el-compiler/src/compiler.el > dist/elc-gen3.c
+          gcc -O2 \
+            -I el-compiler/runtime \
+            dist/elc-gen3.c \
+            el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.c \
+            -lcurl -lpthread \
+            -o dist/platform/elc
+          chmod +x dist/platform/elc
+          echo "gen3 (self-hosted) elc built"
+          dist/platform/elc --version || true
+
+      # Run all four test suites with gen3 elc
+      - name: Run tests — text
+        run: |
+          ELC="$(pwd)/dist/platform/elc" \
+          EL_HOME="$(pwd)" \
+          bash tests/text/run.sh
+
+      - name: Run tests — calendar
+        run: |
+          ELC="$(pwd)/dist/platform/elc" \
+          EL_HOME="$(pwd)" \
+          bash tests/calendar/run.sh
+
+      - name: Run tests — time
+        run: |
+          ELC="$(pwd)/dist/platform/elc" \
+          EL_HOME="$(pwd)" \
+          bash tests/time/run.sh
+
+      - name: Run tests — html_sanitizer
+        run: |
+          ELC="$(pwd)/dist/platform/elc" \
+          EL_HOME="$(pwd)" \
+          bash tests/html_sanitizer/run.sh
+
+      # Publish / update the `latest` release with the three SDK assets
+      - name: Publish latest release
+        env:
+          GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITEA_TOKEN }}
+          GITEA_API: https://git.neuralplatform.ai/api/v1
+          REPO: neuron-technologies/el
+        run: |
+          # Delete existing `latest` release if it exists
+          EXISTING_ID=$(curl -sf \
+            -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+            "${GITEA_API}/repos/${REPO}/releases/tags/latest" \
+            | python3 -c "import sys,json; d=json.load(sys.stdin); print(d['id'])" 2>/dev/null || true)
+
+          if [ -n "${EXISTING_ID}" ]; then
+            echo "Deleting existing release id=${EXISTING_ID}"
+            curl -sf -X DELETE \
+              -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+              "${GITEA_API}/repos/${REPO}/releases/${EXISTING_ID}"
+          fi
+
+          # Delete and re-create the `latest` tag so it points at HEAD
+          curl -sf -X DELETE \
+            -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+            "${GITEA_API}/repos/${REPO}/tags/latest" || true
+
+          # Create the release
+          RELEASE_ID=$(curl -sf -X POST \
+            -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+            -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+            "${GITEA_API}/repos/${REPO}/releases" \
+            -d "{
+              \"tag_name\": \"latest\",
+              \"name\": \"El SDK (latest)\",
+              \"body\": \"Latest El SDK build from commit ${GITHUB_SHA}.\nBuilt $(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ).\",
+              \"draft\": false,
+              \"prerelease\": false
+            }" | python3 -c "import sys,json; print(json.load(sys.stdin)['id'])")
+
+          echo "Created release id=${RELEASE_ID}"
+
+          # Upload assets
+          upload_asset() {
+            local filepath="$1"
+            local name="$2"
+            echo "Uploading ${name}..."
+            curl -sf -X POST \
+              -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+              -F "attachment=@${filepath};filename=${name}" \
+              "${GITEA_API}/repos/${REPO}/releases/${RELEASE_ID}/assets"
+          }
+
+          upload_asset dist/platform/elc                elc
+          upload_asset el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.c el_runtime.c
+          upload_asset el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.h el_runtime.h
+
+          echo "Release published successfully"
+
+      # Dispatch el-sdk-updated event to downstream repos
+      - name: Dispatch to foundation/engram
+        env:
+          GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITEA_TOKEN }}
+          GITEA_API: https://git.neuralplatform.ai/api/v1
+        run: |
+          curl -sf -X POST \
+            -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+            -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+            "${GITEA_API}/repos/neuron-technologies/engram/dispatches" \
+            -d "{
+              \"type\": \"el-sdk-updated\",
+              \"inputs\": {
+                \"el_version\": \"latest\",
+                \"commit\": \"${GITHUB_SHA}\"
+              }
+            }"
+          echo "Dispatched el-sdk-updated to foundation/engram"
+
+      - name: Dispatch to neuron-technologies/forge
+        env:
+          GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITEA_TOKEN }}
+          GITEA_API: https://git.neuralplatform.ai/api/v1
+        run: |
+          curl -sf -X POST \
+            -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+            -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+            "${GITEA_API}/repos/neuron-technologies/forge/dispatches" \
+            -d "{
+              \"type\": \"el-sdk-updated\",
+              \"inputs\": {
+                \"el_version\": \"latest\",
+                \"commit\": \"${GITHUB_SHA}\"
+              }
+            }"
+          echo "Dispatched el-sdk-updated to neuron-technologies/forge"

BOOTSTRAP.md

@@ -0,0 +1,979 @@
+# El Language Bootstrap Guide
+
+This document is the authoritative guide for reconstructing the El compiler toolchain from scratch. If the bootstrap binary at `dist/platform/elc` is ever lost, this document is the path back.
+
+---
+
+## 1. The Bootstrap Chain (Current State)
+
+### The Trust Chain
+
+El is a self-hosting language. The compiler is written in El. This creates a circular dependency: you need an El compiler to compile the El compiler. The chain is resolved by a seed binary:
+
+```
+dist/platform/elc   (Mach-O arm64 native binary)
+        ↓
+   compiles elc-cli.el
+        ↓
+   new self-hosted elc binary
+        ↓
+   compiles itself again (identity check)
+        ↓
+   stable self-hosted compiler
+```
+
+The binary at `dist/platform/elc` is a **Mach-O 64-bit arm64 executable**. The `elc.preselfhost` and `elc.legacy` files in the same directory are older snapshots kept as fallback checkpoints.
+
+The key property: every binary in `dist/platform/` was produced by compiling the El source in `el-compiler/src/` using a previous version of that same binary. The chain is auditable: the source is the ground truth, not the binary.
+
+### The Self-Hosting Pipeline
+
+```
+elc-cli.el
+  imports → el-compiler/src/compiler.el
+               imports → el-compiler/src/lexer.el
+               imports → el-compiler/src/parser.el
+               imports → el-compiler/src/codegen.el
+               imports → el-compiler/src/codegen-js.el
+```
+
+Import resolution is textual. `compiler.el` recursively inlines all imported `.el` files before lex/parse. The result is one large unified source string that the compiler then processes in a single pass.
+
+`elc-combined.el` in the repo root is a pre-merged single-file edition used during early bootstrap iterations.
+
+### What the Bootstrap Binary Actually Is
+
+The `dist/platform/elc` binary is a compiled El program that was produced by running an earlier version of itself on `elc-cli.el`. It is not a Rust binary. The `elc.legacy` and `elc.preselfhost` checkpoints suggest the chain has been continuously self-hosting and re-stamped. The original genesis compiler (referenced in the language spec as a "Rust genesis compiler") was used to produce the first self-hosted binary; that Rust binary is not present in this repo.
+
+To rebuild the current binary from source using the current binary:
+
+```bash
+cd /path/to/el
+./dist/platform/elc elc-cli.el elc-new.c
+cc -std=c11 -I el-compiler/runtime -lcurl -lpthread \
+   -o dist/platform/elc-new \
+   elc-new.c el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.c
+```
+
+Verify self-hosting by using `elc-new` to recompile itself and diffing the outputs.
+
+---
+
+## 2. The Language
+
+### 2.1 Lexical Structure
+
+El source is UTF-8. File extension `.el`. Comments are single-line only: `//` to end of line.
+
+**Token representation:** every token is a map `{ "kind": String, "value": String }`.
+
+**Keywords** — from `keyword_kind()` in `lexer.el`:
+
+| Keyword | Token Kind | Notes |
+|---------|-----------|-------|
+| `let` | `Let` | variable binding |
+| `fn` | `Fn` | function definition |
+| `type` | `Type` | struct definition |
+| `enum` | `Enum` | enum definition |
+| `match` | `Match` | pattern match |
+| `return` | `Return` | function return |
+| `if` | `If` | conditional |
+| `else` | `Else` | |
+| `for` | `For` | iteration |
+| `in` | `In` | used in `for x in list` |
+| `while` | `While` | loop |
+| `import` | `Import` | module import |
+| `from` | `From` | `from mod import { Name }` |
+| `as` | `As` | (reserved, no parse form) |
+| `with` | `With` | (reserved) |
+| `sealed` | `Sealed` | (reserved) |
+| `activate` | `Activate` | (reserved) |
+| `where` | `Where` | (reserved) |
+| `test` | `Test` | (reserved) |
+| `seed` | `Seed` | (reserved) |
+| `assert` | `Assert` | (reserved) |
+| `protocol` | `Protocol` | (reserved) |
+| `impl` | `Impl` | (reserved) |
+| `retry` | `Retry` | reserved / soft keyword in expr position |
+| `times` | `Times` | reserved / soft keyword |
+| `fallback` | `Fallback` | reserved / soft keyword |
+| `reason` | `Reason` | reserved / soft keyword |
+| `parallel` | `Parallel` | reserved / soft keyword |
+| `trace` | `Trace` | reserved / soft keyword |
+| `requires` | `Requires` | reserved / soft keyword |
+| `deploy` | `Deploy` | reserved / soft keyword |
+| `to` | `To` | reserved / soft keyword |
+| `via` | `Via` | reserved / soft keyword |
+| `target` | `Target` | **RESERVED — cannot use as identifier** |
+| `true` | `Bool` | literal value `true` |
+| `false` | `Bool` | literal value `false` |
+| `cgi` | `Cgi` | CGI identity block |
+| `service` | `Service` | service declaration block |
+| `manager` | `Manager` | VBD role decorator / soft keyword |
+| `engine` | `Engine` | VBD role decorator / soft keyword |
+| `accessor` | `Accessor` | VBD role decorator / soft keyword |
+| `vessel` | `Vessel` | soft keyword |
+| `extern` | `Extern` | `extern fn` forward declaration |
+
+**Soft keywords** (`target`, `to`, `via`, `deploy`, `reason`, `times`, `fallback`, `retry`, `parallel`, `trace`, `requires`, `where`, `as`, `with`, `manager`, `engine`, `accessor`, `vessel`): these have dedicated token kinds but the parser re-interprets them as `Ident` nodes when they appear in expression position (e.g., as parameter names or local variable names).
+
+**All token kinds:**
+
+| Kind | Pattern |
+|------|---------|
+| `Int` | `[0-9]+` |
+| `Float` | `[0-9]+ '.' [0-9]+` |
+| `Str` | `"…"` with `\"`, `\n`, `\t`, `\r`, `\\` escapes |
+| `Bool` | `true` or `false` |
+| `Ident` | `[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_]*` (not a keyword) |
+| keyword tokens | one per keyword above |
+| `Eq` | `=` |
+| `EqEq` | `==` |
+| `NotEq` | `!=` |
+| `Not` | `!` |
+| `Lt` / `LtEq` / `Gt` / `GtEq` | `<` `<=` `>` `>=` |
+| `And` | `&&` (single `&` is consumed and discarded) |
+| `Or` | `\|\|` |
+| `Pipe` | `\|` |
+| `PipeOp` | `\|>` |
+| `Plus` / `Minus` / `Star` / `Slash` | `+` `-` `*` `/` |
+| `Percent` | `%` |
+| `Arrow` | `->` |
+| `FatArrow` | `=>` |
+| `Colon` / `ColonColon` | `:` `::` |
+| `LParen` / `RParen` | `(` `)` |
+| `LBrace` / `RBrace` | `{` `}` |
+| `LBracket` / `RBracket` | `[` `]` |
+| `Comma` / `Dot` / `Semicolon` | `,` `.` `;` |
+| `At` | `@` |
+| `QuestionMark` | `?` |
+| `Eof` | end-of-input sentinel |
+
+**String comment stripping:** the lexer contains a special heuristic for string literals that embed JavaScript or CSS (`looks_like_code`). If a string contains `<script`, `<style`, or `function` + `;`, the lexer strips `//` and `/* */` comments from the string value before producing the `Str` token. This is a compile-time content sanitization pass.
+
+### 2.2 AST Node Types
+
+Every AST node is a `Map<String, Any>`. The `"expr"` or `"stmt"` key names the node type.
+
+**Expression nodes:**
+
+| `expr` value | Fields | Meaning |
+|-------------|--------|---------|
+| `Int` | `value: String` | integer literal |
+| `Float` | `value: String` | float literal |
+| `Str` | `value: String` | string literal |
+| `Bool` | `value: String` | `"true"` or `"false"` |
+| `Nil` | — | null / missing |
+| `Ident` | `name: String` | identifier reference |
+| `BinOp` | `op: String`, `left`, `right` | binary operation |
+| `Not` | `inner` | unary `!` |
+| `Neg` | `inner` | unary `-` |
+| `Call` | `func`, `args: [expr]` | function call |
+| `Field` | `object`, `field: String` | `obj.field` |
+| `Index` | `object`, `index` | `obj[idx]` |
+| `Array` | `elems: [expr]` | `[e1, e2, …]` |
+| `Map` | `pairs: [{ key: String, value: expr }]` | `{ "k": v, … }` |
+| `If` | `cond`, `then: [stmt]`, `else: [stmt]`, `has_else: Bool` | conditional expression |
+| `For` | `item: String`, `list`, `body: [stmt]` | for-in expression |
+| `Match` | `subject`, `arms: [{ pattern, body }]` | pattern match |
+| `DurationLit` | `count: String`, `unit: String` | `30.seconds`, `1.hour` |
+| `Try` | `inner` | postfix `?` (no-op passthrough today) |
+
+**Binary operators** (`op` field values): `Plus`, `Minus`, `Star`, `Slash`, `EqEq`, `NotEq`, `Lt`, `Gt`, `LtEq`, `GtEq`, `And`, `Or`.
+
+**Operator precedence** (higher = tighter binding):
+
+| Level | Operators |
+|-------|-----------|
+| 6 | `Star`, `Slash` |
+| 5 | `Plus`, `Minus` |
+| 4 | `Lt`, `Gt`, `LtEq`, `GtEq` |
+| 3 | `EqEq`, `NotEq` |
+| 2 | `And` |
+| 1 | `Or` |
+
+**Pattern nodes** (used inside `Match` arms):
+
+| `pattern` value | Fields | Meaning |
+|----------------|--------|---------|
+| `Wildcard` | — | `_` — always matches |
+| `Binding` | `name: String` | binds subject to name |
+| `LitInt` | `value: String` | integer literal pattern |
+| `LitStr` | `value: String` | string literal pattern |
+| `LitBool` | `value: String` | boolean literal pattern |
+
+**Statement nodes:**
+
+| `stmt` value | Fields | Meaning |
+|-------------|--------|---------|
+| `Let` | `name: String`, `value: expr`, `type: String` | variable binding |
+| `Assign` | `name: String`, `value: expr` | bare reassignment `name = expr` |
+| `Return` | `value: expr` | return statement |
+| `While` | `cond: expr`, `body: [stmt]` | while loop |
+| `For` | `item: String`, `list: expr`, `body: [stmt]` | for-in loop |
+| `FnDef` | `name: String`, `params: [param]`, `body: [stmt]`, `ret_type: String`, `decorator?: String` | function definition |
+| `ExternFn` | `name: String`, `params: [param]`, `ret_type: String` | forward declaration |
+| `TypeDef` | `name: String`, `fields: [{ name: String }]` | struct type definition |
+| `EnumDef` | `name: String`, `variants: [{ name: String }]` | enum definition |
+| `Import` | `path: String` | `import "file.el"` or `from mod import { … }` |
+| `CgiBlock` | `name`, `dharma_id`, `principal`, `network`, `engram`, `has_*: Bool` | CGI identity declaration |
+| `ServiceBlock` | `name`, `sponsor`, `domain` | service declaration |
+| `Expr` | `value: expr` | bare expression statement |
+
+**Param nodes:** `{ "name": String, "type": String }` where `type` is the leading identifier of the type annotation (e.g., `"Int"`, `"String"`, `"Map"`) or `""` if unannotated.
+
+### 2.3 The Type System
+
+Type annotations are parsed and stored but not type-checked at compile time. They serve as documentation and as hints to the codegen for arithmetic dispatch.
+
+**Built-in types:**
+
+| Type | C representation | Notes |
+|------|-----------------|-------|
+| `String` | `const char*` cast to `el_val_t` | via `EL_STR()` macro |
+| `Int` | `int64_t` | direct |
+| `Bool` | `int64_t` | `0` = false, nonzero = true |
+| `Float` | `int64_t` | bit-cast double via `el_from_float()` |
+| `Void` | `void` | functions returning nothing |
+| `Any` | `void*` cast to `el_val_t` | generic containers |
+| `[T]` | `el_val_t` | pointer to ElList struct |
+| `Map<K,V>` | `el_val_t` | pointer to ElMap struct |
+
+**Temporal types** (first-class in codegen):
+
+| Type | Representation | Notes |
+|------|---------------|-------|
+| `Instant` | nanoseconds since Unix epoch as `int64_t` | `now()` returns this |
+| `Duration` | signed nanoseconds as `int64_t` | `30.seconds` = `30 * 1000000000` |
+| `Calendar` | pointer to heap-allocated struct | `earth_calendar(zone)` |
+| `CalendarTime` | pointer to heap-allocated struct | `now_in(cal)` |
+| `LocalDate` | pointer to heap-allocated struct | `local_date(y, m, d)` |
+| `LocalTime` | nanoseconds since midnight, direct `int64_t` | `local_time(h, m, s, ns)` |
+| `Zone` | pointer to heap-allocated struct | `zone("America/New_York")` |
+| `Rhythm` | pointer to heap-allocated struct | recurrence pattern |
+
+The codegen tracks type-annotated variable names in per-function process state (`__int_names`, `__instant_names`, `__duration_names`, etc.) to dispatch arithmetic and comparisons through the correct runtime wrappers. Type-mismatched operations (e.g., `Instant + Instant`) are emitted as `#error` directives.
+
+**Duration postfix literals:** `30.seconds`, `1.hour`, `500.millis`, `30.nanos` are parsed as `DurationLit` AST nodes and compiled to `el_duration_from_nanos(count * multiplier)`. The multipliers:
+
+| Unit | Nanoseconds |
+|------|------------|
+| `nano` / `nanos` | 1 |
+| `milli` / `millis` / `millisecond` / `milliseconds` | 1,000,000 |
+| `second` / `seconds` | 1,000,000,000 |
+| `minute` / `minutes` | 60,000,000,000 |
+| `hour` / `hours` | 3,600,000,000,000 |
+| `day` / `days` | 86,400,000,000,000 |
+
+### 2.4 Key Language Semantics
+
+**Implicit return.** The final expression in a function body becomes the return value if it is not a control-flow construct (`If`, `For`). The codegen's `transform_implicit_return` rewrites the last `Expr` statement into a `Return` statement before emitting.
+
+**Let-rebinding, not mutation.** El uses `let` for both initial binding and rebinding:
+```el
+let count = 0
+let count = count + 1   // NOT mutation — creates a new binding in the same scope
+```
+The codegen tracks declared names per C scope. When `count` is already in `declared`, it emits `count = count + 1;` (plain assignment). When it is new, it emits `el_val_t count = 0;`. This means **El does not have mutable variables in the traditional sense** — every `let` is a potential redeclaration. The practical effect is that shadowing and in-place update use identical syntax.
+
+**Bare reassignment.** The parser also handles `name = expr` (without `let`) when an `Ident` is immediately followed by `Eq`. This emits a plain C assignment.
+
+**`target` is reserved.** The word `target` is lexed as the `Target` token kind — it cannot be used as a variable or parameter name. Use `tgt` or another name instead. This is a live gotcha in `compiler.el` itself, which uses `tgt` for exactly this reason.
+
+**`__no_block_expr` guard.** The parser uses process state key `__no_block_expr` to suppress Map-literal parsing when parsing the condition of `if`, `while`, `for`, and `match`. This prevents a stray `{` (the start of the then-block) from being parsed as a Map literal.
+
+**Arena memory model.** The runtime includes an arena allocator that is activated in server/long-running contexts. In CLI mode (`elc`, `elb`) the arena is inactive. Memory is managed via ARC (reference counting): `el_retain()` and `el_release()` on Lists and Maps. Strings and ints are not refcounted — the retain/release functions are safe no-ops on non-tagged values.
+
+---
+
+## 3. The Runtime API
+
+All runtime functions are declared in `el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.h`. Every compiled El program links against `el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.c`.
+
+All values are `el_val_t` (`int64_t`). Strings are pointers cast through `int64_t` using `EL_STR(s)` / `EL_CSTR(v)` macros.
+
+Canonical compile command:
+```bash
+cc -std=c11 -I el-compiler/runtime -lcurl -lpthread \
+   -o <out> <prog>.c el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.c
+```
+
+### I/O
+
+| Function | Signature | Description |
+|----------|-----------|-------------|
+| `println` | `(s) -> Void` | print string + newline to stdout |
+| `print` | `(s) -> Void` | print string without newline |
+| `readline` | `() -> String` | read one line from stdin |
+
+### String Operations
+
+| Function | Signature | Description |
+|----------|-----------|-------------|
+| `el_str_concat` | `(a, b) -> String` | concatenate two strings |
+| `str_concat` | `(a, b) -> String` | alias for `el_str_concat` |
+| `str_eq` | `(a, b) -> Bool` | string equality comparison |
+| `str_starts_with` | `(s, prefix) -> Bool` | prefix test |
+| `str_ends_with` | `(s, suffix) -> Bool` | suffix test |
+| `str_contains` | `(s, sub) -> Bool` | substring test |
+| `str_len` | `(s) -> Int` | byte length |
+| `str_slice` | `(s, start, end) -> String` | substring (byte offsets) |
+| `str_replace` | `(s, from, to) -> String` | replace all occurrences |
+| `str_to_upper` / `str_upper` | `(s) -> String` | uppercase |
+| `str_to_lower` / `str_lower` | `(s) -> String` | lowercase |
+| `str_trim` | `(s) -> String` | strip leading/trailing whitespace |
+| `str_lstrip` / `str_rstrip` | `(s) -> String` | one-sided strip |
+| `str_index_of` | `(s, sub) -> Int` | position of substring; `-1` if absent |
+| `str_last_index_of` | `(s, sub) -> Int` | last position |
+| `str_index_of_all` | `(s, sub) -> [Int]` | all byte offsets (non-overlapping) |
+| `str_find_chars` | `(s, any_of) -> Int` | first index of any char in set |
+| `str_split` | `(s, sep) -> [String]` | split on separator |
+| `str_split_lines` | `(s) -> [String]` | split on newlines |
+| `str_split_chars` | `(s) -> [String]` | split into individual characters |
+| `str_split_n` | `(s, sep, n) -> [String]` | split at most `n` times |
+| `str_join` | `(list, sep) -> String` | join list with separator |
+| `str_char_at` | `(s, i) -> String` | character at byte index |
+| `str_char_code` | `(s, i) -> Int` | Unicode code point at index |
+| `str_pad_left` | `(s, width, pad) -> String` | left-pad to width |
+| `str_pad_right` | `(s, width, pad) -> String` | right-pad to width |
+| `str_format` | `(fmt, data) -> String` | `{key}` interpolation |
+| `str_repeat` | `(s, n) -> String` | repeat string n times |
+| `str_reverse` | `(s) -> String` | reverse by codepoint |
+| `str_strip_prefix` | `(s, prefix) -> String` | remove prefix if present |
+| `str_strip_suffix` | `(s, suffix) -> String` | remove suffix if present |
+| `str_strip_chars` | `(s, chars) -> String` | strip characters from both ends |
+| `str_count` | `(s, sub) -> Int` | count non-overlapping occurrences |
+| `str_count_chars` | `(s) -> Int` | codepoint count |
+| `str_count_bytes` | `(s) -> Int` | alias for `str_len` |
+| `str_count_lines` | `(s) -> Int` | line count |
+| `str_count_words` | `(s) -> Int` | word count |
+| `str_count_letters` | `(s) -> Int` | ASCII letter count |
+| `str_count_digits` | `(s) -> Int` | ASCII digit count |
+| `is_letter` / `is_digit` / `is_alphanumeric` | `(s) -> Bool` | ASCII char classification |
+| `is_whitespace` / `is_punctuation` | `(s) -> Bool` | |
+| `is_uppercase` / `is_lowercase` | `(s) -> Bool` | |
+| `int_to_str` | `(n) -> String` | format integer |
+| `str_to_int` | `(s) -> Int` | parse integer |
+| `str_to_float` | `(s) -> Float` | parse float |
+| `parse_int` | `(s, default) -> Int` | parse with fallback |
+| `bool_to_str` | `(b) -> String` | format bool |
+
+### Integer/Float Math
+
+| Function | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `el_abs(n)` | absolute value |
+| `el_max(a, b)` | maximum |
+| `el_min(a, b)` | minimum |
+| `float_to_str(f)` | format float as string |
+| `int_to_float(n)` | widen Int to Float |
+| `float_to_int(f)` | truncate Float to Int |
+| `format_float(f, decimals)` | format with N decimal places |
+| `decimal_round(f, decimals)` | round to N decimals |
+| `math_sqrt(f)` | square root |
+| `math_log(f)` / `math_ln(f)` | logarithms |
+| `math_sin(f)` / `math_cos(f)` / `math_pi()` | trigonometry |
+
+### List Operations
+
+| Function | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `el_list_empty()` | create empty list |
+| `el_list_new(count, …)` | create list from N values (varargs) |
+| `el_list_len(list)` | length |
+| `el_list_get(list, i)` | element at index; `0` on out-of-bounds |
+| `el_list_append(list, e)` | append; returns updated list |
+| `el_list_clone(list)` | shallow copy |
+| `list_push(list, e)` | alias for `el_list_append` |
+| `list_push_front(list, e)` | prepend |
+| `list_join(list, sep)` | join to string |
+| `list_range(start, end)` | integer range `[start, end)` |
+| `native_list_empty()` | alias for `el_list_empty` (used in compiler source) |
+| `native_list_append(l, v)` | alias for `el_list_append` |
+| `native_list_get(l, idx)` | alias for `el_list_get` |
+| `native_list_len(l)` | alias for `el_list_len` |
+| `native_list_clone(l)` | alias for `el_list_clone` |
+| `append(l, e)` | method-call alias: `list.append(e)` |
+| `len(l)` | method-call alias: `list.len()` |
+| `get(l, i)` | method-call alias: `list.get(i)` |
+
+### Map Operations
+
+| Function | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `el_map_new(count, …)` | create map from key/value pairs (varargs) |
+| `el_map_get(map, key)` | get value by key |
+| `el_map_set(map, key, value)` | set key; returns map |
+| `el_get_field(map, key)` | alias; emitted for `.field` access |
+| `map_get(map, key)` | method-call alias |
+| `map_set(map, key, value)` | method-call alias |
+
+### ARC (Reference Counting)
+
+| Function | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `el_retain(v)` | increment refcount; no-op for non-heap values |
+| `el_release(v)` | decrement refcount; free when zero |
+
+### In-Process State
+
+| Function | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `state_set(key, value)` | store in process-global key/value table |
+| `state_get(key)` | retrieve; `""` if absent |
+| `state_del(key)` | delete key |
+| `state_keys()` | all keys as `[String]` |
+
+### Filesystem
+
+| Function | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `fs_read(path)` | read file to string; `""` on error |
+| `fs_write(path, content)` | write string; returns `1` on success |
+| `fs_write_bytes(path, bytes, length)` | write raw bytes of known length |
+| `fs_list(path)` | list directory entries |
+| `fs_exists(path)` | check if path exists |
+| `fs_mkdir(path)` | mkdir -p |
+
+### HTTP Client
+
+| Function | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `http_get(url)` | GET; returns body string |
+| `http_post(url, body)` | POST; returns body string |
+| `http_post_json(url, json_body)` | POST with Content-Type: application/json |
+| `http_get_with_headers(url, headers_map)` | GET with custom headers |
+| `http_post_with_headers(url, body, headers_map)` | POST with custom headers |
+| `http_post_form_auth(url, form_body, auth_header)` | POST with auth |
+| `http_delete(url)` | DELETE |
+| `http_get_to_file(url, headers_map, output_path)` | stream response to file |
+| `http_post_to_file(url, body, headers_map, output_path)` | stream POST response to file |
+| `http_response(status, headers_json, body)` | build response envelope |
+| `url_encode(s)` | RFC 3986 percent-encoding |
+| `url_decode(s)` | URL decode |
+| `el_html_sanitize(html, allowlist_json)` | allowlist HTML sanitizer |
+
+### HTTP Server
+
+| Function | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `http_serve(port, handler)` | start server; handler: `(method, path, body) -> String` |
+| `http_serve_v2(port, handler)` | start server; handler: `(method, path, headers_map, body) -> String` |
+| `http_set_handler(name)` | set handler by symbol name |
+| `http_set_handler_v2(name)` | v2 variant |
+
+### JSON
+
+| Function | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `json_get(json, key)` | substring lookup of `"key": value` |
+| `json_parse(s)` | parse JSON string to List/Map |
+| `json_stringify(v)` | serialize Any to JSON string |
+| `json_get_string(j, key)` | typed extract: String |
+| `json_get_int(j, key)` | typed extract: Int |
+| `json_get_float(j, key)` | typed extract: Float |
+| `json_get_bool(j, key)` | typed extract: Bool |
+| `json_get_raw(j, key)` | extract nested object/array as JSON string |
+| `json_set(j, key, value)` | update field, return new JSON string |
+| `json_array_len(j)` | length of JSON array string |
+| `json_array_get(j, index)` | element at index |
+| `json_array_get_string(j, index)` | string element at index |
+
+### Time (Epoch-Based)
+
+| Function | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `time_now()` | Unix epoch milliseconds |
+| `time_now_utc()` | same, explicit UTC |
+| `time_format(ts, fmt)` | format timestamp |
+| `time_to_parts(ts)` | decompose to Map of fields |
+| `time_from_parts(secs, ns, tz)` | construct timestamp |
+| `time_add(ts, n, unit)` | add duration |
+| `time_diff(ts1, ts2, unit)` | difference |
+| `unix_timestamp()` | Unix seconds as Int |
+| `sleep_secs(secs)` | sleep N seconds |
+| `sleep_ms(ms)` | sleep N milliseconds |
+
+### Time (First-Class Instant/Duration)
+
+| Function | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `now()` / `el_now_instant()` | current time as Instant (nanoseconds) |
+| `unix_seconds(n)` | construct Instant from Unix seconds |
+| `unix_millis(n)` | construct Instant from Unix milliseconds |
+| `instant_from_iso8601(s)` | parse ISO 8601 string |
+| `instant_to_unix_seconds(i)` | extract Unix seconds |
+| `instant_to_unix_millis(i)` | extract Unix milliseconds |
+| `instant_to_iso8601(i)` | format as ISO 8601 |
+| `el_duration_from_nanos(ns)` | construct Duration from nanoseconds |
+| `duration_seconds(n)` | Duration from seconds |
+| `duration_millis(n)` | Duration from milliseconds |
+| `duration_nanos(n)` | Duration from nanoseconds |
+| `duration_to_seconds(d)` | extract seconds |
+| `duration_to_millis(d)` | extract milliseconds |
+| `duration_to_nanos(d)` | extract nanoseconds |
+| `el_instant_add_dur(inst, dur)` | Instant + Duration |
+| `el_instant_sub_dur(inst, dur)` | Instant - Duration |
+| `el_instant_diff(a, b)` | Instant - Instant = Duration |
+| `el_duration_add/sub/scale/div` | Duration arithmetic |
+| `el_instant_lt/le/gt/ge/eq/ne` | Instant comparison |
+| `el_duration_lt/le/gt/ge/eq/ne` | Duration comparison |
+| `el_sleep_duration(dur)` | sleep for a Duration |
+| `ttl_cache_set(key, value)` | store with TTL |
+| `ttl_cache_get(key, max_age)` | retrieve if within max_age |
+| `ttl_cache_age(key)` | age of cached value as Duration |
+
+### Calendar System
+
+| Function | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `zone(id)` | IANA zone or fixed offset |
+| `zone_utc()` / `zone_local()` | UTC and local zone |
+| `zone_offset(hours, minutes)` | fixed offset zone |
+| `earth_calendar(z)` | Gregorian calendar in zone |
+| `earth_calendar_default()` | system default |
+| `mars_calendar()` / `cycle_calendar(period)` | non-Earth calendars |
+| `no_cycle_calendar()` / `relative_calendar(epoch)` | abstract calendars |
+| `now_in(cal)` | current time as CalendarTime |
+| `in_calendar(inst, cal)` | project Instant into Calendar |
+| `cal_format(ct, pattern)` | format CalendarTime |
+| `cal_to_instant(ct)` | extract underlying Instant |
+| `cal_cycle_phase(ct)` / `cal_in(ct, cal)` | calendar ops |
+| `local_date(y, m, d)` | construct LocalDate |
+| `local_time(h, m, s, ns)` | construct LocalTime |
+| `local_datetime(date, time)` | construct LocalDateTime |
+| `zoned(date, time, cal)` | zoned datetime |
+| `local_date_year/month/day` | LocalDate accessors |
+| `local_time_hour/minute/second/nanos` | LocalTime accessors |
+| `el_local_date_add_dur` / `el_local_time_add_dur` | date/time arithmetic |
+| `el_local_date_lt` / `el_local_date_eq` | date comparison |
+| `rhythm_*` | recurrence patterns (cycle_start, weekday, weekly_at, next_after, matches, …) |
+
+### Process / Execution
+
+| Function | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `args()` | command-line arguments as `[String]` (excludes argv[0]) |
+| `env(key)` | read environment variable; `""` if unset |
+| `exit(code)` | exit process with code |
+| `exit_program(code)` | alias for `exit` |
+| `getpid_now()` | current process ID |
+| `exec_command(cmd)` | run shell command; return exit code |
+| `exec_capture(cmd)` | run shell command; capture and return stdout |
+| `uuid_new()` / `uuid_v4()` | generate UUID v4 |
+| `native_int_to_str(n)` | format integer (alias, used in compiler source) |
+| `native_string_chars(s)` | split string into `[String]` of single characters |
+
+### Crypto
+
+| Function | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `sha256_hex(input)` | SHA-256, hex output |
+| `sha256_bytes(input)` | SHA-256, raw bytes |
+| `hmac_sha256_hex(key, msg)` | HMAC-SHA-256, hex |
+| `hmac_sha256_bytes(key, msg)` | HMAC-SHA-256, raw bytes |
+| `base64_encode(input)` / `base64_decode(input)` | standard base64 |
+| `base64url_encode(input)` / `base64url_decode(input)` | URL-safe base64 |
+| `sha3_256_hex(input)` | SHA3-256 (Keccak) |
+| `pq_keygen_signature()` | Dilithium-3 key pair |
+| `pq_sign(sk_hex, msg)` / `pq_verify(pk_hex, msg, sig_hex)` | PQ signatures |
+| `pq_kem_keygen()` / `pq_kem_encaps(pk)` / `pq_kem_decaps(sk, ct)` | Kyber-768 KEM |
+| `pq_hybrid_keygen()` / `pq_hybrid_handshake(remote_pub)` | X25519 + Kyber hybrid |
+| `aead_encrypt(key_hex, plaintext)` | AES-256-GCM encrypt |
+| `aead_decrypt(key_hex, nonce_hex, ct_hex)` | AES-256-GCM decrypt |
+
+### DHARMA Network (CGI programs only)
+
+| Function | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `el_cgi_init(name, dharma_id, principal, network, engram)` | initialize CGI identity (called by generated `main()`) |
+| `dharma_connect(cgi_id)` | open channel to peer |
+| `dharma_send(channel, content)` | send message; blocks for response |
+| `dharma_activate(query)` | spreading activation across DHARMA network |
+| `dharma_emit(event_type, payload)` | emit network event (@manager only) |
+| `dharma_field(event_type)` | wait for event (@manager only) |
+| `dharma_strengthen(cgi_id, weight)` | Hebbian potentiation |
+| `dharma_relationship(cgi_id)` | current relationship weight |
+| `dharma_peers()` | all connected peers sorted by weight |
+
+### Engram Knowledge Graph
+
+| Function | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `engram_node(content, type, salience)` | create node; returns ID |
+| `engram_node_full(content, type, label, salience, importance, confidence, tier, tags)` | full node creation |
+| `engram_node_layered(…, layer_id)` | create node in specific layer |
+| `engram_get_node(id)` | retrieve node by ID |
+| `engram_strengthen(node_id)` | Hebbian potentiation |
+| `engram_forget(node_id)` | delete node and edges |
+| `engram_node_count()` | total node count |
+| `engram_edge_count()` | total edge count |
+| `engram_search(query, limit)` | full-text search |
+| `engram_scan_nodes(limit, offset)` | paginated node scan |
+| `engram_connect(from, to, weight, relation)` | create directed edge |
+| `engram_edge_between(from, to)` | get edge |
+| `engram_neighbors(node_id)` | BFS neighbors |
+| `engram_neighbors_filtered(node_id, max_depth, direction)` | filtered BFS |
+| `engram_activate(query, depth)` | spreading activation |
+| `engram_save(path)` / `engram_load(path)` | snapshot to/from disk |
+| `engram_add_layer(name, priority, suppressible, transparent, injectable)` | add consciousness layer |
+| `engram_remove_layer(layer_id)` / `engram_list_layers()` | layer management |
+| `engram_*_json` variants | JSON-string versions of search/scan/activate |
+| `engram_compile_layered_json(intent, depth)` | prompt-ready context block |
+
+### LLM (Anthropic API)
+
+| Function | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `llm_call(model, prompt)` | single-turn call |
+| `llm_call_system(model, system, user)` | call with system prompt |
+| `llm_call_agentic(model, system, user, tools)` | agentic call with tools (CGI only) |
+| `llm_vision(model, system, prompt, image)` | vision call |
+| `llm_models()` | list available models |
+| `llm_register_tool(name, handler_fn_name)` | register tool handler (CGI only) |
+
+### Observability
+
+| Function | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `emit_log(level, msg, fields_json)` | emit OTLP log |
+| `emit_metric(name, value, tags_json)` | emit OTLP metric |
+| `trace_span_start(name)` | start trace span |
+| `trace_span_end(span_handle)` | end trace span |
+| `emit_event(name, duration_ms)` | emit event |
+
+---
+
+## 4. How to Re-Bootstrap from Zero
+
+This section assumes the bootstrap binary is gone. Everything else (source files, runtime) is intact.
+
+### What You Need to Implement
+
+A minimal El compiler has three parts: lexer, parser, codegen. Each can be written in any language. The goal is to compile `elc-cli.el` into a working `elc` binary, after which El is self-hosting again.
+
+### Step 1: Write a Minimal Lexer
+
+The lexer must produce a list of `{ "kind": String, "value": String }` maps (or equivalent structures). Required token kinds: `Int`, `Float`, `Str`, `Bool`, `Ident`, `Eof`, and all keywords and operators listed in section 2.1.
+
+The minimal subset needed to compile the compiler itself:
+- Keywords: `let`, `fn`, `return`, `if`, `else`, `while`, `for`, `in`, `import`, `from`, `true`, `false`, `extern`
+- Literals: `Int`, `Str`, `Bool`, `Ident`
+- Operators: `=`, `==`, `!=`, `!`, `<`, `>`, `<=`, `>=`, `&&`, `||`, `+`, `-`, `*`, `/`, `->`, `=>`, `:`, `,`, `.`, `(`, `)`, `{`, `}`, `[`, `]`, `@`, `?`
+- Special: `Eof`
+
+The lexer in `lexer.el` walks a char array using `native_list_get` to avoid O(n²) string slicing. A Python implementation can use a simple index into a string. Escapes to handle: `\"`, `\n`, `\t`, `\r`, `\\`.
+
+### Step 2: Write a Minimal Parser
+
+The parser is a standard recursive descent parser. It produces AST maps as described in section 2.2.
+
+The minimal statement forms needed to compile the compiler:
+- `let name [: Type] = expr`
+- `fn name(params) [-> Type] { body }`
+- `extern fn name(params) [-> Type]`
+- `return expr`
+- `while cond { body }`
+- `for item in list { body }`
+- `if cond { body } [else [if] { body }]`
+- `import "path"`
+- `from module import { … }`
+- `@decorator stmt`
+- `name = expr` (bare assignment)
+- bare expression statement
+
+The minimal expression forms:
+- Integer, float, string, bool literals
+- Identifier
+- Binary operations with the precedence table from section 2.2
+- Unary `!` and `-`
+- Function call: `f(a, b, …)`
+- Method call: `obj.method(args)` (parsed as Call with Field func)
+- Field access: `obj.field`
+- Index access: `obj[i]`
+- Array literal: `[e1, e2, …]`
+- Map literal: `{ "key": value, … }`
+- `if` as expression
+- `match` expression
+- Postfix `?` (can be a no-op)
+- Duration literal: `N.unit`
+
+The `__no_block_expr` guard (section 2.4) is important: without it, `if a || b { ... }` will incorrectly parse `{` as a Map literal.
+
+### Step 3: Write a Minimal Codegen
+
+The codegen emits C11 source. Required output structure:
+
+```c
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include "el_runtime.h"
+
+// Forward declarations for all non-main functions
+el_val_t fn_name(el_val_t p1, el_val_t p2);
+...
+
+// File-scope let bindings (if any)
+el_val_t GLOBAL_NAME;
+
+// Function bodies
+el_val_t fn_name(el_val_t p1, el_val_t p2) {
+    ...
+    return 0;
+}
+
+// Entry point
+int main(int _argc, char** _argv) {
+    el_runtime_init_args(_argc, _argv);
+    ...
+    return 0;
+}
+```
+
+Critical codegen rules:
+
+1. **All values are `el_val_t`**. Every parameter, local variable, and return type is `el_val_t` unless the function has `ret_type == "Void"` (use `void`).
+
+2. **Let-rebinding**: track declared names per C scope. Emit `el_val_t name = val;` on first occurrence; emit `name = val;` on subsequent occurrences of the same name in the same scope.
+
+3. **`+` dispatch**: if either operand is a string literal → `el_str_concat(a, b)`. If both are provably integers → `(a + b)`. Default fallback → `el_str_concat`.
+
+4. **`==` dispatch**: if either operand is a string or identifier → `str_eq(a, b)`. If both are integer literals or provably Int → `(a == b)`.
+
+5. **String literals**: wrap in `EL_STR("…")` and escape: `\"` → `\\\"`, `\n` → `\\n`, `\t` → `\\t`, `\\` → `\\\\`.
+
+6. **Map literals**: `el_map_new(N, "k1", v1, "k2", v2, …)`. Empty map: `el_map_new(0)`.
+
+7. **Array literals**: `el_list_new(N, e1, e2, …)`. Empty: `el_list_empty()`.
+
+8. **Index access**: string-literal index → `el_get_field(obj, EL_STR("key"))`. Integer index → `el_list_get(obj, idx)`.
+
+9. **Field access** `obj.field` → `el_get_field(obj, EL_STR("field"))`.
+
+10. **Method call** `obj.method(args)` → `method(obj, args)`.
+
+11. **`for item in list`** → emit:
+    ```c
+    { el_val_t _el_lst = <list>; el_val_t _el_len = el_list_len(_el_lst);
+      for (el_val_t _el_i = 0; _el_i < _el_len; _el_i++) {
+        el_val_t item = el_list_get(_el_lst, _el_i);
+        <body>
+      }
+    }
+    ```
+
+12. **`match`** → GCC/Clang statement expression with `goto`:
+    ```c
+    ({ el_val_t _s = <subject>; el_val_t _r = 0;
+       if (_s == 42) { _r = <arm_body>; goto _done; }
+       if (str_eq(_s, EL_STR("str"))) { _r = <arm_body>; goto _done; }
+       { _r = <wildcard_body>; goto _done; }
+       _done:; _r; })
+    ```
+
+13. **`if` as expression** → similarly wrapped in a GCC/Clang statement expression.
+
+14. **Implicit return**: if the last statement in a function body is a bare `Expr` (not `If` or `For`), emit it as `return <expr>;` instead of `<expr>;`.
+
+15. **Float literals**: emit as `el_from_float(<value>)`.
+
+16. **Bool literals**: `true` → `1`, `false` → `0`.
+
+17. **`fn main()`**: do not emit as a regular `el_val_t` function. Instead, fold its body into C's `int main()` after any top-level statements.
+
+18. **`extern fn`**: emit only a forward declaration (no body).
+
+19. **Forward declarations**: scan for all `FnDef` nodes before emitting bodies. This enables mutual recursion.
+
+### Step 4: Compile the El Compiler
+
+Using your minimal implementation, compile `elc-cli.el` (which imports the entire compiler chain):
+
+```bash
+# Your minimal compiler
+python3 minimal_elc.py elc-cli.el > elc-new.c
+
+# Build with the runtime
+cc -std=c11 -I el-compiler/runtime -lcurl -lpthread \
+   -o elc-new elc-new.c el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.c
+```
+
+### Step 5: Verify Self-Hosting
+
+```bash
+# Compile elc-cli.el with the new compiler
+./elc-new elc-cli.el elc-v2.c
+cc -std=c11 -I el-compiler/runtime -lcurl -lpthread \
+   -o elc-v2 elc-v2.c el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.c
+
+# Compile again with the second-generation compiler
+./elc-v2 elc-cli.el elc-v3.c
+
+# The outputs should be identical
+diff elc-v2.c elc-v3.c
+```
+
+A clean diff confirms you have a stable fixed point: the compiler reproduces itself exactly.
+
+### Step 6: Replace the Bootstrap Binary
+
+```bash
+cp elc-v2 dist/platform/elc
+```
+
+You are bootstrapped.
+
+### Minimal El Subset for the Compiler Itself
+
+The El compiler source (`lexer.el`, `parser.el`, `codegen.el`, `compiler.el`) uses:
+- `fn`, `let`, `while`, `if`/`else`, `return`, `for`/`in`, `import`
+- `extern fn` (for `.elh` headers)
+- `String`, `Int`, `Bool`, `Void`, `Any`, `Map<String, Any>`, `[String]`, `[Map<String, Any>]`
+- Map literals `{ "key": val }`
+- Array literals `[...]` (and `native_list_empty()`)
+- List operations: `native_list_empty()`, `native_list_append()`, `native_list_get()`, `native_list_len()`, `native_list_clone()`
+- String operations: `str_join()`, `str_eq()`, `str_contains()`, `str_starts_with()`, `str_slice()`, `str_trim()`, `str_split()`, `str_index_of()`, `str_len()`, `str_to_int()`, `native_string_chars()`, `native_int_to_str()`
+- `state_get()`, `state_set()`
+- `println()`, `fs_read()`, `fs_write()`, `exit()`
+- `el_release()` (ARC cleanup)
+
+The compiler does not use: HTTP, engram, dharma, LLM, crypto, UUID, float arithmetic.
+
+---
+
+## 5. The Long-Term Solution: elvm
+
+### Why a VM Makes Bootstrapping More Auditable
+
+The current bootstrap chain relies on trusting a binary whose source we cannot fully audit by inspection alone. This is the classic "trusting trust" problem (Ken Thompson, 1984). A virtual machine breaks the chain:
+
+- `elc` targets `elvm` bytecode (instead of C)
+- `elvm` is a minimal interpreter hand-written in ~500 lines of C
+- The hand-written C is small enough to audit completely
+- Anyone can compile `elvm.c` with any C compiler
+- From there: `elvm` interprets `elc.elvm` → `elc` compiles El → `cc` builds native binaries
+
+The benefit: the trusted base shrinks from "a Mach-O binary" to "500 lines of straightforward C code that anyone can read in an afternoon."
+
+### The elvm Design
+
+A minimal elvm needs:
+- A stack or register machine (stack is simpler)
+- Instructions: push, pop, add, sub, mul, div, cmp, jump, call, return, load, store
+- A string table (El strings are mostly literals)
+- A heap for ElList and ElMap
+- An FFI table mapping El runtime builtins to C functions
+
+The El compiler would gain a `--target=elvm` flag in `compile_dispatch()`. Codegen would emit bytecode instead of C text. The runtime interface stays the same — builtins map to FFI slots by name.
+
+This is the planned path. It does not exist yet.
+
+---
+
+## 6. Compiler Source Map
+
+| File | Role | Lines |
+|------|------|-------|
+| `elc-cli.el` | Entry point; imports compiler.el | 7 |
+| `el-compiler/src/compiler.el` | Pipeline wiring: lex → parse → codegen. Import resolution, `--emit-header`, `fn main()`. Defines `compile()`, `compile_js()`, `compile_dispatch()`, `resolve_imports()` | 298 |
+| `el-compiler/src/lexer.el` | Tokenizer. `lex(source)` → token list. Char helpers, keyword lookup, scan_digits, scan_ident, scan_string, strip_code_comments | 747 |
+| `el-compiler/src/parser.el` | Recursive descent parser. `parse(tokens)` → AST. All statement and expression forms | 1071 |
+| `el-compiler/src/codegen.el` | C code emitter. `codegen(stmts, source)` → (streams to stdout). Expression codegen, statement codegen, function codegen, type tracking, capability enforcement, temporal type dispatch | 2721 |
+| `el-compiler/src/codegen-js.el` | JavaScript backend. `codegen_js(stmts, source)` → JS source | ~500 |
+| `el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.h` | Full runtime API declaration | 755 |
+| `el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.c` | Full runtime implementation | large |
+| `el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.js` | JS runtime | — |
+| `elb.el` | Build coordinator. Reads `manifest.el`, walks import graph, compiles modules, links binary. The `.NET`-style incremental build model | 367 |
+| `elc-combined.el` | Pre-merged single-file bootstrap edition (for early bootstrap iterations) | large |
+| `spec/language.md` | Language specification v1.2.0 | — |
+| `dist/platform/elc` | Current bootstrap binary (Mach-O arm64) | — |
+
+---
+
+## 7. Key Decisions and Gotchas
+
+### `target` is a Reserved Keyword
+
+`target` is lexed as the `Target` token kind. It cannot be used as a variable or parameter name anywhere in El source. If you write `fn compile(target: String)`, the parameter name will be tokenized as `Target`, which the parser does not recognize as an `Ident` in parameter position.
+
+**Workaround:** use `tgt`, `dest`, `backend`, or any other name. The compiler source uses `tgt` specifically for this reason. This comes up whenever writing code that handles compilation targets.
+
+### `let x = x + 1` is Let-Rebinding, Not Mutation
+
+El has no mutable variables. `let count = count + 1` re-introduces `count` into the current scope, shadowing the previous binding. At the C level, the codegen tracks declared names and emits plain assignment for subsequent bindings of the same name:
+
+- First `let count = 0` → `el_val_t count = 0;`
+- Second `let count = count + 1` → `count = count + 1;`
+
+This means you cannot have two different values named `count` in the same C scope — the second binding overwrites the first. This is by design. Scoped shadowing works correctly because each block (if body, while body, for body) gets its own copy of the `declared` list.
+
+### Arena is Inactive in CLI Mode
+
+The runtime includes an arena allocator designed for long-running server processes. In CLI mode (`elc`, `elb`) the arena is not activated. Memory is managed by ARC (reference counting via `el_retain`/`el_release`). The compiler source explicitly calls `el_release(tokens)` after parsing and `el_release(stmt)` after codegen to prevent memory exhaustion on large source files.
+
+If you are implementing a new runtime or embedding El, be aware that the ARC model expects callers to release values they are done with.
+
+### The `extern fn` / `.elh` Separate Compilation Model
+
+`elb` (the build coordinator) supports separate compilation. When a module changes:
+1. `elc --emit-header module.el module.c` compiles the module and writes `module.elh`
+2. `module.elh` contains `extern fn` declarations for all public functions
+3. Other modules that import `module.el` use the `.elh` header instead of re-parsing the source
+
+The `resolve_imports` function in `compiler.el` checks for a `.elh` file before recursively inlining the `.el` source. If the header exists, it is used (and the `.el` is marked as seen to prevent double-inclusion).
+
+This is important for bootstrap: if you have pre-compiled headers lying around from a broken build, they may shadow updated source. Delete `.elh` files (or use `elb --clean`) when debugging unexpected compilation behavior.
+
+### Import Resolution: Depth-First with Deduplication
+
+`resolve_imports` in `compiler.el`:
+
+1. Walks imports depth-first (dependencies before dependents)
+2. Uses `state_set("__elc_imp__:" + path, "1")` to deduplicate: each file is included exactly once
+3. Builds the combined source string by concatenating import bodies ahead of the entry file's body
+4. If a `.elh` header exists for an import, uses that instead of recursing into the `.el`
+
+The result is one large string that gets passed through `lex` → `parse` → `codegen` as a single unit. The codegen emits forward declarations for all functions before any body, so declaration order within the combined source does not matter.
+
+### `+` Operator Dispatch is Heuristic
+
+El's `+` operator serves double duty: integer addition and string concatenation. The codegen dispatches based on static analysis of the AST:
+
+- If either operand is a `Str` literal → `el_str_concat`
+- If both operands are provably `Int` (via `is_int_expr`) → `(a + b)`
+- If either operand is a `Call` or `Ident` → `el_str_concat` (conservative fallback)
+
+The `is_int_expr` predicate recurses through the AST: literal `Int`, names in `__int_names` (from `: Int` annotations), known Int-returning builtins, and arithmetic BinOps over Int operands all count as "provably Int."
+
+If you write `let result = some_int_var + 1` and `some_int_var` is not annotated `: Int`, the codegen may emit `el_str_concat` instead of integer addition. Fix by adding `: Int` to the variable declaration.
+
+### `==` Operator Dispatch is Also Heuristic
+
+Similarly, `==` dispatches between `str_eq(a, b)` (string comparison) and `(a == b)` (integer comparison) based on operand types. The codegen tracks Int-typed names in `__int_names`. Two `Ident` operands where both are known Int-typed use `==`; all other Ident-Ident comparisons use `str_eq`.
+
+This means comparing two integer variables that were not annotated `: Int` can silently produce `str_eq` on what are actually integer values — and `str_eq` treats them as `const char*` pointers, producing incorrect results or segfaults.
+
+**Rule:** always annotate variables `: Int` when they will participate in `==` comparisons or `+` arithmetic.
+
+### Capability Kind Enforcement
+
+The codegen classifies programs into three capability tiers based on top-level declarations:
+- `cgi` block present → full capability (all primitives allowed)
+- `service` block present → restricted (no `llm_call_agentic`, `llm_register_tool`, `dharma_emit`, `dharma_field`)
+- Neither → `utility` (no DHARMA, no LLM)
+
+Violations are collected during codegen and emitted as `#error` directives at the bottom of the generated C. The downstream `cc` step then fails with a clear message naming the forbidden call.
+
+### The `__no_block_expr` Parse Guard
+
+When parsing the condition of `if`, `while`, `for`, and `match`, the parser sets `state_set("__no_block_expr", "1")`. This prevents `parse_primary` from treating a `{` as the start of a Map literal — instead it returns `{ "expr": "Nil" }` and the caller sees the `{` and treats it as the block delimiter.
+
+Without this guard, `if a || b { ... }` would recurse into `parse_expr` for `b`, hit `{`, try to parse it as a Map literal, fail to find string keys, loop in error-recovery mode, and hang.
+
+### Codegen Streams Output via `println`
+
+The codegen does not build the output as a string — it calls `println()` for each line as it is emitted. The `compile()` / `compile_js()` / `codegen()` functions return `""`. Output goes to stdout.
+
+This design avoids O(n²) string concatenation for large programs. It also means you cannot capture the compiler's output in a variable within El itself — you must redirect stdout at the OS level (`elc source.el > output.c`).
+
+When writing to a file, `elc` detects the output path argument, redirects C's `stdout` to the file (via `freopen` in the runtime), and the `println` calls go there instead.

dist/platform/elc-asan.dSYM/Contents/Info.plist

@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
+<plist version="1.0">
+	<dict>
+		<key>CFBundleDevelopmentRegion</key>
+		<string>English</string>
+		<key>CFBundleIdentifier</key>
+		<string>com.apple.xcode.dsym.elc-asan</string>
+		<key>CFBundleInfoDictionaryVersion</key>
+		<string>6.0</string>
+		<key>CFBundlePackageType</key>
+		<string>dSYM</string>
+		<key>CFBundleSignature</key>
+		<string>????</string>
+		<key>CFBundleShortVersionString</key>
+		<string>1.0</string>
+		<key>CFBundleVersion</key>
+		<string>1</string>
+	</dict>
+</plist>

dist/platform/elc-asan.dSYM/Contents/Resources/Relocations/aarch64/elc-asan.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+triple:          'arm64-apple-darwin'
+binary-path:     '/Users/will/Development/neuron-technologies/foundation/el/dist/platform/elc-asan'
+relocations:     []
+...

el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.c

@@ -1469,22 +1469,25 @@ void http_serve(el_val_t port, el_val_t handler) {
     }
     int p = (int)port;
     if (p <= 0 || p > 65535) { fprintf(stderr, "http_serve: invalid port %d\n", p); return; }
-    int sock = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
+    /* Dual-stack: AF_INET6 with IPV6_V6ONLY=0 accepts both IPv4 and IPv6.
+     * This makes `localhost` work in browsers that resolve it to ::1 first. */
+    int sock = socket(AF_INET6, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
     if (sock < 0) { perror("socket"); return; }
-    int yes = 1;
+    int yes = 1; int no = 0;
     setsockopt(sock, SOL_SOCKET, SO_REUSEADDR, &yes, sizeof(yes));
-    struct sockaddr_in addr;
+    setsockopt(sock, IPPROTO_IPV6, IPV6_V6ONLY, &no, sizeof(no));
+    struct sockaddr_in6 addr;
     memset(&addr, 0, sizeof(addr));
-    addr.sin_family = AF_INET;
-    addr.sin_addr.s_addr = htonl(INADDR_ANY);
-    addr.sin_port = htons((uint16_t)p);
+    addr.sin6_family = AF_INET6;
+    addr.sin6_addr = in6addr_any;
+    addr.sin6_port = htons((uint16_t)p);
     if (bind(sock, (struct sockaddr*)&addr, sizeof(addr)) < 0) {
         perror("bind"); close(sock); return;
     }
     if (listen(sock, 64) < 0) { perror("listen"); close(sock); return; }
-    fprintf(stderr, "[http] listening on 0.0.0.0:%d\n", p);
+    fprintf(stderr, "[http] listening on [::]:%d (dual-stack)\n", p);
     while (1) {
-        struct sockaddr_in cli;
+        struct sockaddr_in6 cli;
         socklen_t clen = sizeof(cli);
         int cfd = accept(sock, (struct sockaddr*)&cli, &clen);
         if (cfd < 0) {
@@ -1715,22 +1718,24 @@ void http_serve_v2(el_val_t port, el_val_t handler) {
         fprintf(stderr, "http_serve_v2: invalid port %d\n", p);
         return;
     }
-    int sock = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
+    /* Dual-stack: same as http_serve - AF_INET6 + IPV6_V6ONLY=0. */
+    int sock = socket(AF_INET6, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
     if (sock < 0) { perror("socket"); return; }
-    int yes = 1;
+    int yes = 1; int no = 0;
     setsockopt(sock, SOL_SOCKET, SO_REUSEADDR, &yes, sizeof(yes));
-    struct sockaddr_in addr;
+    setsockopt(sock, IPPROTO_IPV6, IPV6_V6ONLY, &no, sizeof(no));
+    struct sockaddr_in6 addr;
     memset(&addr, 0, sizeof(addr));
-    addr.sin_family = AF_INET;
-    addr.sin_addr.s_addr = htonl(INADDR_ANY);
-    addr.sin_port = htons((uint16_t)p);
+    addr.sin6_family = AF_INET6;
+    addr.sin6_addr = in6addr_any;
+    addr.sin6_port = htons((uint16_t)p);
     if (bind(sock, (struct sockaddr*)&addr, sizeof(addr)) < 0) {
         perror("bind"); close(sock); return;
     }
     if (listen(sock, 64) < 0) { perror("listen"); close(sock); return; }
-    fprintf(stderr, "[http v2] listening on 0.0.0.0:%d\n", p);
+    fprintf(stderr, "[http v2] listening on [::]:%d (dual-stack)\n", p);
     while (1) {
-        struct sockaddr_in cli;
+        struct sockaddr_in6 cli;
         socklen_t clen = sizeof(cli);
         int cfd = accept(sock, (struct sockaddr*)&cli, &clen);
         if (cfd < 0) {
@@ -1848,6 +1853,29 @@ el_val_t fs_write_bytes(el_val_t pathv, el_val_t bytesv, el_val_t lengthv) {
     return 1;
 }
 
+// exec_command — run a shell command, return exit code (0 = success).
+// Used by elb and other El tooling to invoke subprocesses.
+el_val_t exec_command(el_val_t cmdv) {
+    const char* cmd = EL_CSTR(cmdv);
+    if (!cmd) return (el_val_t)(int64_t)-1;
+    int ret = system(cmd);
+    return (el_val_t)(int64_t)ret;
+}
+
+// exec_capture — run a shell command, capture stdout, return as String.
+// Returns "" on failure.
+el_val_t exec_capture(el_val_t cmdv) {
+    const char* cmd = EL_CSTR(cmdv);
+    if (!cmd) return el_wrap_str(el_strdup(""));
+    FILE* f = popen(cmd, "r");
+    if (!f) return el_wrap_str(el_strdup(""));
+    JsonBuf b; jb_init(&b);
+    char buf[4096];
+    while (fgets(buf, sizeof(buf), f)) jb_puts(&b, buf);
+    pclose(f);
+    return el_wrap_str(b.buf);
+}
+
 el_val_t fs_list(el_val_t pathv) {
     const char* path = EL_CSTR(pathv);
     el_val_t lst = el_list_empty();
@@ -2911,8 +2939,13 @@ static int looks_like_string(el_val_t v) {
     const unsigned char* s = (const unsigned char*)p;
     for (int i = 0; i < 16; i++) {
         unsigned char c = s[i];
-        if (c == '\0') return i > 0; /* terminated string */
-        if (c < 0x09 || (c > 0x0d && c < 0x20) || c >= 0x7f) return 0;
+        if (c == '\0') return 1; /* terminated string (empty string is still a valid string) */
+        /* Reject C0 control chars (non-whitespace), allow UTF-8 high bytes.
+         * 0x09-0x0d = tab/newline/cr/vt/ff (whitespace, OK)
+         * 0x20-0x7e = printable ASCII (OK)
+         * 0x7f      = DEL (reject)
+         * 0x80-0xff = UTF-8 continuation/lead bytes (OK for multi-byte chars) */
+        if (c < 0x09 || (c > 0x0d && c < 0x20) || c == 0x7f) return 0;
     }
     return 1; /* 16+ printable bytes — call it a string */
 }
@@ -3094,6 +3127,9 @@ el_val_t json_get_raw(el_val_t json_str, el_val_t key) {
     const char* json = EL_CSTR(json_str);
     const char* k    = EL_CSTR(key);
     const char* p = json_find_key(json, k);
+    /* Clear fs_read binary-length hint — result is a fresh null-terminated
+     * string, not the raw file bytes, so Content-Length must use strlen. */
+    _tl_fs_read_len = 0;
     if (!p) return el_wrap_str(el_strdup(""));
     const char* end = json_skip_value(p);
     size_t n = (size_t)(end - p);

el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.h

@@ -739,6 +739,10 @@ el_val_t  map_set(el_val_t map, el_val_t key, el_val_t value); /* el_map_set */
 /* See bottom of el_runtime.c for the implementation.
  * Configured by env vars OTLP_ENDPOINT, OTEL_SERVICE_NAME, OTEL_SERVICE_VERSION.
  * No-op when OTLP_ENDPOINT is unset. Drop-on-failure semantics. */
+/* ── Subprocess execution ────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+el_val_t exec_command(el_val_t cmd);   /* run shell command, return exit code */
+el_val_t exec_capture(el_val_t cmd);   /* run shell command, capture stdout   */
+
 el_val_t emit_log(el_val_t level, el_val_t msg, el_val_t fields_json);
 el_val_t emit_metric(el_val_t name, el_val_t value, el_val_t tags_json);
 el_val_t trace_span_start(el_val_t name);

el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.js

@@ -0,0 +1,679 @@
+/*
+ * el_runtime.js — El language JS runtime.
+ *
+ * The browser/Node analog of el_runtime.c. Compiled-from-El JS source
+ * imports this file once; it side-effects globalThis.__el with every
+ * builtin, so generated programs can destructure the names they need
+ * (see codegen-js.el's preamble).
+ *
+ * Value model:
+ *   El's tagged el_val_t collapses into JS native types here:
+ *     String  -> string
+ *     Int     -> number  (caveat: only 53 bits of integer precision)
+ *     Float   -> number  (already a double)
+ *     Bool    -> boolean
+ *     [T]     -> Array
+ *     Map<,>  -> plain object
+ *     Void    -> undefined
+ *     null    -> null
+ *
+ * Runtime mode auto-detection:
+ *   typeof window === 'undefined'  -> Node mode
+ *   otherwise                       -> Browser mode
+ *
+ * See spec/codegen-js.md for the full design rationale.
+ */
+
+const IS_NODE = typeof window === 'undefined' && typeof process !== 'undefined' && process.versions != null && process.versions.node != null;
+
+// ── I/O ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function println(s) {
+    if (IS_NODE) {
+        process.stdout.write(String(s) + '\n');
+    } else {
+        console.log(String(s));
+    }
+}
+
+function print(s) {
+    if (IS_NODE) {
+        process.stdout.write(String(s));
+    } else {
+        // Browser has no stdout — fall back to console with no newline group
+        console.log(String(s));
+    }
+}
+
+// ── String builtins ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+// Coerce both args to string and concat. Mirrors el_str_concat in C;
+// the C version handles both string-and-string and string-and-int.
+function el_str_concat(a, b) {
+    return String(a) + String(b);
+}
+
+function str_concat(a, b) { return el_str_concat(a, b); }
+
+// Strict equality with string coercion. Matches str_eq() in C — which
+// strcmp's the underlying char*. Here we just === after coercion.
+function str_eq(a, b) {
+    if (a === null || b === null) return a === b;
+    return String(a) === String(b);
+}
+
+function str_starts_with(s, prefix) {
+    return String(s).startsWith(String(prefix));
+}
+
+function str_ends_with(s, suffix) {
+    return String(s).endsWith(String(suffix));
+}
+
+function str_len(s) {
+    return String(s).length;
+}
+
+function int_to_str(n) {
+    return String(n);
+}
+
+function str_to_int(s) {
+    const n = parseInt(String(s), 10);
+    return Number.isNaN(n) ? 0 : n;
+}
+
+function str_slice(s, start, end) {
+    return String(s).slice(start, end);
+}
+
+function str_contains(s, sub) {
+    return String(s).indexOf(String(sub)) >= 0;
+}
+
+function str_replace(s, from, to) {
+    // Replace ALL occurrences (matches C runtime semantics).
+    return String(s).split(String(from)).join(String(to));
+}
+
+function str_to_upper(s) { return String(s).toUpperCase(); }
+function str_to_lower(s) { return String(s).toLowerCase(); }
+function str_upper(s)    { return String(s).toUpperCase(); }
+function str_lower(s)    { return String(s).toLowerCase(); }
+
+function str_trim(s) { return String(s).trim(); }
+
+function str_index_of(s, sub) {
+    return String(s).indexOf(String(sub));
+}
+
+function str_split(s, sep) {
+    return String(s).split(String(sep));
+}
+
+function str_char_at(s, i) {
+    return String(s).charAt(i);
+}
+
+function str_char_code(s, i) {
+    const c = String(s).charCodeAt(i);
+    return Number.isNaN(c) ? 0 : c;
+}
+
+function str_pad_left(s, width, pad) {
+    return String(s).padStart(width, String(pad));
+}
+
+function str_pad_right(s, width, pad) {
+    return String(s).padEnd(width, String(pad));
+}
+
+// ── Math ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function el_abs(n) { return Math.abs(n); }
+function el_max(a, b) { return a > b ? a : b; }
+function el_min(a, b) { return a < b ? a : b; }
+
+// ── Refcount (no-op — JS has GC) ────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function el_retain(_v)  { /* no-op */ }
+function el_release(_v) { /* no-op */ }
+
+// ── List ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+// Variadic constructor matching el_list_new(count, items...). Exposed so
+// codegen-js can emit the same call shape if we ever want it (currently
+// codegen-js emits JS array literals directly).
+function el_list_new(_count, ...items) {
+    return items.slice(0);
+}
+
+function el_list_empty() { return []; }
+function el_list_clone(list) { return Array.isArray(list) ? list.slice() : []; }
+function el_list_len(list) { return Array.isArray(list) ? list.length : 0; }
+
+function el_list_get(list, index) {
+    if (!Array.isArray(list)) return null;
+    if (index < 0 || index >= list.length) return null;
+    return list[index];
+}
+
+function el_list_append(list, elem) {
+    if (!Array.isArray(list)) return [elem];
+    const out = list.slice();
+    out.push(elem);
+    return out;
+}
+
+function list_push(list, elem) { return el_list_append(list, elem); }
+
+function list_push_front(list, elem) {
+    if (!Array.isArray(list)) return [elem];
+    return [elem, ...list];
+}
+
+function list_join(list, sep) {
+    if (!Array.isArray(list)) return '';
+    return list.map(String).join(String(sep));
+}
+
+function list_range(start, end) {
+    const out = [];
+    for (let i = start; i < end; i++) out.push(i);
+    return out;
+}
+
+// ── Map ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+// Variadic constructor (key, val, key, val, ...).
+function el_map_new(_pairCount, ...kvs) {
+    const out = {};
+    for (let i = 0; i < kvs.length; i += 2) {
+        out[String(kvs[i])] = kvs[i + 1];
+    }
+    return out;
+}
+
+function el_get_field(map, key) {
+    if (map === null || map === undefined) return null;
+    if (typeof map !== 'object') return null;
+    const k = String(key);
+    if (Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(map, k)) return map[k];
+    return null;
+}
+
+function el_map_get(map, key) { return el_get_field(map, key); }
+
+function el_map_set(map, key, value) {
+    // Match the C runtime: shallow-copy + set, persistent semantics.
+    const out = (map && typeof map === 'object') ? { ...map } : {};
+    out[String(key)] = value;
+    return out;
+}
+
+// ── Method-call shorthand aliases ──────────────────────────────────────────
+// `obj.method(args)` compiles to `method(obj, args)` per El convention.
+
+function append(list, elem) { return el_list_append(list, elem); }
+function len(v) {
+    if (Array.isArray(v)) return v.length;
+    if (typeof v === 'string') return v.length;
+    if (v && typeof v === 'object') return Object.keys(v).length;
+    return 0;
+}
+function get(list, index) { return el_list_get(list, index); }
+function map_get(m, k) { return el_get_field(m, k); }
+function map_set(m, k, v) { return el_map_set(m, k, v); }
+
+// ── Native VM aliases ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function native_list_get(list, index)   { return el_list_get(list, index); }
+function native_list_len(list)          { return el_list_len(list); }
+function native_list_append(list, elem) { return el_list_append(list, elem); }
+function native_list_empty()            { return []; }
+function native_list_clone(list)        { return el_list_clone(list); }
+function native_string_chars(s)         { return String(s).split(''); }
+function native_int_to_str(n)           { return String(n); }
+
+// ── HTTP ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+//
+// fetch() is async. These return Promise<string>. Generated El code does
+// not yet emit await — that's the async-taint pass (see spec §5). For
+// programs that don't touch HTTP this is fine; for programs that do,
+// the value will appear as "[object Promise]" until the taint pass lands.
+
+function http_get(url) {
+    if (typeof fetch === 'undefined') {
+        throw new Error('http_get: fetch() not available in this runtime');
+    }
+    return fetch(String(url)).then(r => r.text());
+}
+
+function http_post(url, body) {
+    if (typeof fetch === 'undefined') {
+        throw new Error('http_post: fetch() not available in this runtime');
+    }
+    return fetch(String(url), { method: 'POST', body: String(body) }).then(r => r.text());
+}
+
+function http_post_json(url, jsonBody) {
+    if (typeof fetch === 'undefined') {
+        throw new Error('http_post_json: fetch() not available in this runtime');
+    }
+    return fetch(String(url), {
+        method: 'POST',
+        headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+        body: String(jsonBody),
+    }).then(r => r.text());
+}
+
+function http_get_with_headers(url, headersMap) {
+    if (typeof fetch === 'undefined') {
+        throw new Error('http_get_with_headers: fetch() not available');
+    }
+    return fetch(String(url), { headers: headersMap || {} }).then(r => r.text());
+}
+
+function http_post_with_headers(url, body, headersMap) {
+    if (typeof fetch === 'undefined') {
+        throw new Error('http_post_with_headers: fetch() not available');
+    }
+    return fetch(String(url), {
+        method: 'POST',
+        headers: headersMap || {},
+        body: String(body),
+    }).then(r => r.text());
+}
+
+function http_serve(_port, _handler) {
+    throw new Error('http_serve: not supported in JS target — needs server-side runtime mode');
+}
+
+function http_set_handler(_name) {
+    throw new Error('http_set_handler: not supported in JS target');
+}
+
+// ── Filesystem (Node-only) ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function _ensureNode(name) {
+    if (!IS_NODE) {
+        throw new Error(`${name}: not supported in browser runtime`);
+    }
+}
+
+function fs_read(path) {
+    _ensureNode('fs_read');
+    const fs = require('node:fs');
+    try {
+        return fs.readFileSync(String(path), 'utf8');
+    } catch (_e) {
+        return '';
+    }
+}
+
+function fs_write(path, content) {
+    _ensureNode('fs_write');
+    const fs = require('node:fs');
+    try {
+        fs.writeFileSync(String(path), String(content));
+        return true;
+    } catch (_e) {
+        return false;
+    }
+}
+
+function fs_list(path) {
+    _ensureNode('fs_list');
+    const fs = require('node:fs');
+    try {
+        return fs.readdirSync(String(path));
+    } catch (_e) {
+        return [];
+    }
+}
+
+// ── JSON ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function json_parse(s) {
+    try { return JSON.parse(String(s)); }
+    catch (_e) { return null; }
+}
+
+function json_stringify(v) {
+    try { return JSON.stringify(v); }
+    catch (_e) { return ''; }
+}
+
+function json_get(jsonStr, key) {
+    const o = json_parse(jsonStr);
+    if (o === null) return null;
+    return el_get_field(o, key);
+}
+
+function json_get_string(jsonStr, key) {
+    const v = json_get(jsonStr, key);
+    return v === null ? '' : String(v);
+}
+
+function json_get_int(jsonStr, key) {
+    const v = json_get(jsonStr, key);
+    if (typeof v === 'number') return Math.trunc(v);
+    if (typeof v === 'string') return str_to_int(v);
+    return 0;
+}
+
+function json_get_float(jsonStr, key) {
+    const v = json_get(jsonStr, key);
+    return typeof v === 'number' ? v : 0;
+}
+
+function json_get_bool(jsonStr, key) {
+    const v = json_get(jsonStr, key);
+    return v === true;
+}
+
+function json_get_raw(jsonStr, key) {
+    const v = json_get(jsonStr, key);
+    return v === null ? '' : json_stringify(v);
+}
+
+function json_set(jsonStr, key, value) {
+    const o = json_parse(jsonStr) ?? {};
+    o[String(key)] = value;
+    return json_stringify(o);
+}
+
+function json_array_len(jsonStr) {
+    const o = json_parse(jsonStr);
+    return Array.isArray(o) ? o.length : 0;
+}
+
+// ── Time ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function time_now() {
+    return Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000);
+}
+
+function time_now_utc() {
+    // In the C runtime this returns nanoseconds since epoch. JS number
+    // can't represent that range past ~2^53. We return milliseconds — a
+    // safe range — and document the divergence.
+    return Date.now();
+}
+
+function sleep_secs(secs) {
+    if (!IS_NODE) {
+        throw new Error('sleep_secs: blocking sleep not supported in browser');
+    }
+    // Simple sync sleep via Atomics.wait on a SharedArrayBuffer-backed Int32.
+    const sab = new SharedArrayBuffer(4);
+    const i32 = new Int32Array(sab);
+    Atomics.wait(i32, 0, 0, Math.floor(secs * 1000));
+    return secs;
+}
+
+function sleep_ms(ms) {
+    if (!IS_NODE) {
+        throw new Error('sleep_ms: blocking sleep not supported in browser');
+    }
+    const sab = new SharedArrayBuffer(4);
+    const i32 = new Int32Array(sab);
+    Atomics.wait(i32, 0, 0, Math.floor(ms));
+    return ms;
+}
+
+// ── Bool ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function bool_to_str(b) { return b ? 'true' : 'false'; }
+
+// ── Process ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function exit_program(code) {
+    if (IS_NODE) {
+        process.exit(code | 0);
+    } else {
+        throw new Error(`exit_program(${code}) called in browser`);
+    }
+}
+
+// ── args() ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function args() {
+    if (IS_NODE) {
+        // process.argv is [node, script, ...args] — slice off node + script.
+        return process.argv.slice(2);
+    }
+    return [];
+}
+
+// ── env ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function env(key) {
+    if (IS_NODE) {
+        const v = process.env[String(key)];
+        return v === undefined ? null : v;
+    }
+    return null;
+}
+
+// ── In-process state K/V ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+const _stateMap = new Map();
+
+function state_set(key, value) {
+    _stateMap.set(String(key), value);
+    return value;
+}
+
+function state_get(key) {
+    const v = _stateMap.get(String(key));
+    return v === undefined ? '' : v;
+}
+
+function state_del(key) {
+    return _stateMap.delete(String(key));
+}
+
+function state_keys() {
+    return Array.from(_stateMap.keys());
+}
+
+// ── UUID ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function uuid_v4() {
+    // RFC 4122-ish — uses crypto when available, falls back to Math.random.
+    if (typeof crypto !== 'undefined' && crypto.randomUUID) {
+        return crypto.randomUUID();
+    }
+    return 'xxxxxxxx-xxxx-4xxx-yxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx'.replace(/[xy]/g, c => {
+        const r = Math.random() * 16 | 0;
+        const v = c === 'x' ? r : (r & 0x3 | 0x8);
+        return v.toString(16);
+    });
+}
+function uuid_new() { return uuid_v4(); }
+
+// ── Float formatting ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function float_to_str(f) { return String(f); }
+function int_to_float(n) { return n; }
+function float_to_int(f) { return Math.trunc(f); }
+
+function format_float(f, decimals) {
+    return Number(f).toFixed(decimals);
+}
+
+function decimal_round(f, decimals) {
+    const m = Math.pow(10, decimals);
+    return Math.round(f * m) / m;
+}
+
+function str_to_float(s) {
+    const n = parseFloat(String(s));
+    return Number.isNaN(n) ? 0 : n;
+}
+
+// ── Math (Float-aware) ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function math_sqrt(f) { return Math.sqrt(f); }
+function math_log(f)  { return Math.log10(f); }
+function math_ln(f)   { return Math.log(f); }
+function math_sin(f)  { return Math.sin(f); }
+function math_cos(f)  { return Math.cos(f); }
+function math_pi()    { return Math.PI; }
+
+// ── Stubs for not-yet-supported features ───────────────────────────────────
+//
+// These compile but throw when called. See spec/codegen-js.md §7.
+
+function _notSupported(name) {
+    return () => { throw new Error(`${name}: not supported in JS target — needs server-side delegation`); };
+}
+
+// CGI identity
+function el_cgi_init(_name, _did, _principal, _network, _engram) {
+    // No-op — UI code is not a CGI principal. See spec §7.
+}
+
+// DHARMA — all stubbed.
+const dharma_connect      = _notSupported('dharma_connect');
+const dharma_send         = _notSupported('dharma_send');
+const dharma_activate     = _notSupported('dharma_activate');
+const dharma_emit         = _notSupported('dharma_emit');
+const dharma_field        = _notSupported('dharma_field');
+const dharma_strengthen   = _notSupported('dharma_strengthen');
+const dharma_relationship = _notSupported('dharma_relationship');
+const dharma_peers        = _notSupported('dharma_peers');
+
+// Engram — stubbed (could be ported to in-browser later).
+const engram_node           = _notSupported('engram_node');
+const engram_node_full      = _notSupported('engram_node_full');
+const engram_get_node       = _notSupported('engram_get_node');
+const engram_strengthen     = _notSupported('engram_strengthen');
+const engram_forget         = _notSupported('engram_forget');
+const engram_node_count     = _notSupported('engram_node_count');
+const engram_search         = _notSupported('engram_search');
+const engram_scan_nodes     = _notSupported('engram_scan_nodes');
+const engram_connect        = _notSupported('engram_connect');
+const engram_edge_between   = _notSupported('engram_edge_between');
+const engram_neighbors      = _notSupported('engram_neighbors');
+const engram_neighbors_filtered = _notSupported('engram_neighbors_filtered');
+const engram_edge_count     = _notSupported('engram_edge_count');
+const engram_activate       = _notSupported('engram_activate');
+const engram_save           = _notSupported('engram_save');
+const engram_load           = _notSupported('engram_load');
+
+// LLM — stubbed (browser cannot hold API keys safely).
+const llm_call          = _notSupported('llm_call');
+const llm_call_system   = _notSupported('llm_call_system');
+const llm_call_agentic  = _notSupported('llm_call_agentic');
+const llm_vision        = _notSupported('llm_vision');
+const llm_models        = _notSupported('llm_models');
+const llm_register_tool = _notSupported('llm_register_tool');
+
+// Crypto — stubbed; could be backed by SubtleCrypto later.
+const sha256_hex        = _notSupported('sha256_hex');
+const sha256_bytes      = _notSupported('sha256_bytes');
+const hmac_sha256_hex   = _notSupported('hmac_sha256_hex');
+const hmac_sha256_bytes = _notSupported('hmac_sha256_bytes');
+const base64_encode     = _notSupported('base64_encode');
+const base64_decode     = _notSupported('base64_decode');
+const base64url_encode  = _notSupported('base64url_encode');
+const base64url_decode  = _notSupported('base64url_decode');
+
+// ── Export to globalThis.__el ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+//
+// Generated programs destructure off this object. Keeping it on globalThis
+// means a single `import "./el_runtime.js"` is enough; no per-call namespace
+// prefix is required at codegen time.
+
+const __el = {
+    // I/O
+    println, print,
+    // String
+    el_str_concat, str_concat, str_eq, str_starts_with, str_ends_with,
+    str_len, int_to_str, str_to_int, str_slice, str_contains, str_replace,
+    str_to_upper, str_to_lower, str_trim, str_index_of, str_split, str_char_at,
+    str_char_code, str_lower, str_upper, str_pad_left, str_pad_right,
+    // Math
+    el_abs, el_max, el_min,
+    // Refcount
+    el_retain, el_release,
+    // List
+    el_list_new, el_list_empty, el_list_clone, el_list_len, el_list_get,
+    el_list_append, list_push, list_push_front, list_join, list_range,
+    // Map
+    el_map_new, el_get_field, el_map_get, el_map_set,
+    // Method-call shortforms
+    append, len, get, map_get, map_set,
+    // Native VM aliases
+    native_list_get, native_list_len, native_list_append, native_list_empty,
+    native_list_clone, native_string_chars, native_int_to_str,
+    // HTTP
+    http_get, http_post, http_post_json, http_get_with_headers,
+    http_post_with_headers, http_serve, http_set_handler,
+    // FS
+    fs_read, fs_write, fs_list,
+    // JSON
+    json_parse, json_stringify, json_get, json_get_string, json_get_int,
+    json_get_float, json_get_bool, json_get_raw, json_set, json_array_len,
+    // Time
+    time_now, time_now_utc, sleep_secs, sleep_ms,
+    // Bool
+    bool_to_str,
+    // Process
+    exit_program,
+    // Args / env
+    args, env,
+    // State
+    state_set, state_get, state_del, state_keys,
+    // UUID
+    uuid_v4, uuid_new,
+    // Float / math
+    float_to_str, int_to_float, float_to_int, format_float, decimal_round,
+    str_to_float, math_sqrt, math_log, math_ln, math_sin, math_cos, math_pi,
+    // CGI / DHARMA / Engram / LLM (stubs)
+    el_cgi_init,
+    dharma_connect, dharma_send, dharma_activate, dharma_emit, dharma_field,
+    dharma_strengthen, dharma_relationship, dharma_peers,
+    engram_node, engram_node_full, engram_get_node, engram_strengthen,
+    engram_forget, engram_node_count, engram_search, engram_scan_nodes,
+    engram_connect, engram_edge_between, engram_neighbors,
+    engram_neighbors_filtered, engram_edge_count, engram_activate,
+    engram_save, engram_load,
+    llm_call, llm_call_system, llm_call_agentic, llm_vision,
+    llm_models, llm_register_tool,
+    // Crypto (stubs)
+    sha256_hex, sha256_bytes, hmac_sha256_hex, hmac_sha256_bytes,
+    base64_encode, base64_decode, base64url_encode, base64url_decode,
+};
+
+globalThis.__el = __el;
+
+// Also re-export as ES module exports for consumers that prefer that style.
+export { __el as default };
+export {
+    println, print,
+    el_str_concat, str_concat, str_eq, str_starts_with, str_ends_with,
+    str_len, int_to_str, str_to_int, str_slice, str_contains, str_replace,
+    str_to_upper, str_to_lower, str_trim, str_index_of, str_split, str_char_at,
+    str_char_code, str_lower, str_upper,
+    el_abs, el_max, el_min,
+    el_retain, el_release,
+    el_list_new, el_list_empty, el_list_clone, el_list_len, el_list_get,
+    el_list_append, list_push, list_push_front, list_join, list_range,
+    el_map_new, el_get_field, el_map_get, el_map_set,
+    append, len, get, map_get, map_set,
+    native_list_get, native_list_len, native_list_append, native_list_empty,
+    native_list_clone, native_string_chars, native_int_to_str,
+    http_get, http_post, http_post_json,
+    fs_read, fs_write, fs_list,
+    json_parse, json_stringify, json_get, json_get_string, json_get_int,
+    time_now, time_now_utc, sleep_ms,
+    bool_to_str, exit_program, args, env,
+    state_set, state_get, state_del, state_keys,
+    el_cgi_init,
+    dharma_connect, dharma_send, dharma_activate, dharma_emit, dharma_field,
+    engram_node, engram_search, engram_activate,
+    llm_call, llm_call_system,
+};

el-compiler/src/codegen-js.el

@@ -0,0 +1,926 @@
+// codegen-js.el — El compiler JavaScript source code generator
+//
+// Input:  list of AST statement maps (from parser.el)
+// Output: JavaScript source printed to stdout (streamed, one line at a time)
+//
+// Each El program compiles to a single .js file that imports el_runtime.js
+// (which side-effects globals so call sites stay flat — println(x), not
+// el.println(x)). Functions map to JS function declarations; top-level
+// statements run at module load.
+//
+// Entry point: fn codegen_js(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String
+//   Returns "" — output goes to stdout via println().
+//
+// This file mirrors codegen.el (the C backend). Where the C backend has to
+// fight the int64_t-everywhere convention to dispatch arithmetic vs concat
+// or `==` vs `str_eq`, the JS backend can usually let JS's own operator
+// semantics do the right thing. We retain the dispatch logic for clarity
+// and so that explicit calls to `el_str_concat` or `str_eq` still work.
+
+// ── String helpers ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+// Escape a JS string literal (double-quotes, backslashes, newlines, etc.).
+fn js_escape(s: String) -> String {
+    let chars: [String] = native_string_chars(s)
+    let total: Int = native_list_len(chars)
+    let parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
+    let i = 0
+    while i < total {
+        let ch: String = native_list_get(chars, i)
+        if ch == "\"" {
+            let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\\\"")
+        } else {
+            if ch == "\\" {
+                let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\\\\")
+            } else {
+                if ch == "\n" {
+                    let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\\n")
+                } else {
+                    if ch == "\r" {
+                        let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\\r")
+                    } else {
+                        if ch == "\t" {
+                            let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\\t")
+                        } else {
+                            let parts = native_list_append(parts, ch)
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+    str_join(parts, "")
+}
+
+fn js_str_lit(s: String) -> String {
+    "\"" + js_escape(s) + "\""
+}
+
+// ── Code emission ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+fn js_emit_line(line: String) -> Void {
+    println(line)
+}
+
+fn js_emit_blank() -> Void {
+    println("")
+}
+
+// ── Operator helpers ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+fn js_binop(op: String) -> String {
+    if op == "Plus"  { return "+" }
+    if op == "Minus" { return "-" }
+    if op == "Star"  { return "*" }
+    if op == "Slash" { return "/" }
+    if op == "Percent" { return "%" }
+    if op == "EqEq"  { return "===" }
+    if op == "NotEq" { return "!==" }
+    if op == "Lt"    { return "<" }
+    if op == "Gt"    { return ">" }
+    if op == "LtEq"  { return "<=" }
+    if op == "GtEq"  { return ">=" }
+    if op == "And"   { return "&&" }
+    if op == "Or"    { return "||" }
+    op
+}
+
+// ── Int-name tracking (mirrors codegen.el) ────────────────────────────────────
+
+fn js_is_int_name(name: String) -> Bool {
+    let csv: String = state_get("__js_int_names")
+    if str_eq(csv, "") { return false }
+    return str_contains(csv, "," + name + ",")
+}
+
+fn js_add_int_name(name: String) -> Bool {
+    let csv: String = state_get("__js_int_names")
+    if str_eq(csv, "") { csv = "," }
+    let key: String = "," + name + ","
+    if str_contains(csv, key) { return true }
+    state_set("__js_int_names", csv + name + ",")
+    return true
+}
+
+fn js_build_int_names_for_params(params: [Map<String, Any>]) -> Bool {
+    state_set("__js_int_names", ",")
+    let np: Int = native_list_len(params)
+    let pi = 0
+    while pi < np {
+        let param = native_list_get(params, pi)
+        let pname: String = param["name"]
+        let ptype: String = param["type"]
+        if str_eq(ptype, "Int") {
+            js_add_int_name(pname)
+        }
+        let pi = pi + 1
+    }
+    return true
+}
+
+fn js_is_int_call(call_expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
+    let func = call_expr["func"]
+    let fk: String = func["expr"]
+    if !str_eq(fk, "Ident") { return false }
+    let name: String = func["name"]
+    if str_eq(name, "str_len") { return true }
+    if str_eq(name, "str_index_of") { return true }
+    if str_eq(name, "str_to_int") { return true }
+    if str_eq(name, "str_char_code") { return true }
+    if str_eq(name, "native_list_len") { return true }
+    if str_eq(name, "el_list_len") { return true }
+    if str_eq(name, "len") { return true }
+    if str_eq(name, "json_get_int") { return true }
+    if str_eq(name, "time_now") { return true }
+    if str_eq(name, "time_now_utc") { return true }
+    if str_eq(name, "el_abs") { return true }
+    if str_eq(name, "el_max") { return true }
+    if str_eq(name, "el_min") { return true }
+    return false
+}
+
+// ── Expression codegen ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+//
+// js_cg_expr returns a JS expression string (not a statement).
+//
+// Note: the C backend's `+` dispatch is preserved here for two reasons:
+//   1) Generated output stays grep-equivalent across targets
+//   2) Explicit `el_str_concat()` lives in the runtime; codegen routes
+//      through it for ambiguous (Ident+Ident, Call+Call) cases. JS's
+//      own `+` would also work, but el_str_concat coerces both sides
+//      to strings — closer to the C semantics.
+
+fn js_cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
+    let kind: String = expr["expr"]
+
+    if kind == "Int" {
+        let v: String = expr["value"]
+        return v
+    }
+
+    // DurationLit — postfix-literal time value (e.g. 30.seconds, 1.hour).
+    // The JS backend lowers to a literal integer nanosecond count. The C
+    // backend uses the typed wrapper el_duration_from_nanos to make intent
+    // explicit at the runtime boundary; JS has no equivalent shim yet, so
+    // we lower directly. A future Phase 2 JS time runtime can route through
+    // a wrapper once added.
+    if kind == "DurationLit" {
+        let count: String = expr["count"]
+        let unit: String = expr["unit"]
+        let mult_ns = "1"
+        if str_eq(unit, "nano") { let mult_ns = "1" }
+        if str_eq(unit, "nanos") { let mult_ns = "1" }
+        if str_eq(unit, "milli") { let mult_ns = "1000000" }
+        if str_eq(unit, "millis") { let mult_ns = "1000000" }
+        if str_eq(unit, "millisecond") { let mult_ns = "1000000" }
+        if str_eq(unit, "milliseconds") { let mult_ns = "1000000" }
+        if str_eq(unit, "second") { let mult_ns = "1000000000" }
+        if str_eq(unit, "seconds") { let mult_ns = "1000000000" }
+        if str_eq(unit, "minute") { let mult_ns = "60000000000" }
+        if str_eq(unit, "minutes") { let mult_ns = "60000000000" }
+        if str_eq(unit, "hour") { let mult_ns = "3600000000000" }
+        if str_eq(unit, "hours") { let mult_ns = "3600000000000" }
+        if str_eq(unit, "day") { let mult_ns = "86400000000000" }
+        if str_eq(unit, "days") { let mult_ns = "86400000000000" }
+        return "(" + count + " * " + mult_ns + ")"
+    }
+
+    if kind == "Float" {
+        // JS numbers are already doubles — no bit-cast trick needed.
+        let v: String = expr["value"]
+        return v
+    }
+
+    if kind == "Str" {
+        let v: String = expr["value"]
+        return js_str_lit(v)
+    }
+
+    if kind == "Bool" {
+        let v: String = expr["value"]
+        if v == "true" { return "true" }
+        return "false"
+    }
+
+    if kind == "Nil" {
+        return "null"
+    }
+
+    if kind == "Ident" {
+        let name: String = expr["name"]
+        return name
+    }
+
+    if kind == "Not" {
+        let inner = expr["inner"]
+        let inner_c: String = js_cg_expr(inner)
+        return "!" + inner_c
+    }
+
+    if kind == "Neg" {
+        let inner = expr["inner"]
+        let inner_c: String = js_cg_expr(inner)
+        return "(-" + inner_c + ")"
+    }
+
+    if kind == "BinOp" {
+        let op: String = expr["op"]
+        let left = expr["left"]
+        let right = expr["right"]
+        let left_c: String = js_cg_expr(left)
+        let right_c: String = js_cg_expr(right)
+        let left_kind: String = left["expr"]
+        let right_kind: String = right["expr"]
+
+        // Plus dispatch — same shape as C backend, but we route through
+        // el_str_concat for the string-concat path (its JS impl coerces
+        // and matches C's behavior). Arithmetic uses bare JS `+`.
+        if op == "Plus" {
+            if left_kind == "Str" {
+                return "el_str_concat(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")"
+            }
+            if right_kind == "Str" {
+                return "el_str_concat(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")"
+            }
+            if left_kind == "Int" {
+                return "(" + left_c + " + " + right_c + ")"
+            }
+            if right_kind == "Int" {
+                return "(" + left_c + " + " + right_c + ")"
+            }
+            if left_kind == "Ident" {
+                if right_kind == "Ident" {
+                    let lname: String = left["name"]
+                    let rname: String = right["name"]
+                    if js_is_int_name(lname) {
+                        if js_is_int_name(rname) {
+                            return "(" + left_c + " + " + right_c + ")"
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            if left_kind == "Ident" {
+                if right_kind == "Call" {
+                    let lname: String = left["name"]
+                    if js_is_int_name(lname) {
+                        if js_is_int_call(right) {
+                            return "(" + left_c + " + " + right_c + ")"
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            if right_kind == "Ident" {
+                if left_kind == "Call" {
+                    let rname: String = right["name"]
+                    if js_is_int_name(rname) {
+                        if js_is_int_call(left) {
+                            return "(" + left_c + " + " + right_c + ")"
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            if left_kind == "Call" {
+                if right_kind == "Call" {
+                    if js_is_int_call(left) {
+                        if js_is_int_call(right) {
+                            return "(" + left_c + " + " + right_c + ")"
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+                return "el_str_concat(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")"
+            }
+            if right_kind == "Call" {
+                return "el_str_concat(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")"
+            }
+            // Fallback: when in doubt, route through el_str_concat. JS's
+            // own + handles strings and numbers natively, but el_str_concat
+            // gives us a single point of control if behavior needs to diverge.
+            if left_kind == "Ident" {
+                return "el_str_concat(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")"
+            }
+            if right_kind == "Ident" {
+                return "el_str_concat(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")"
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Equality dispatch — C backend disambiguates via str_eq for
+        // strings and == for ints. JS does both with === if we know
+        // the types are uniform; for ambiguous identifier pairs we
+        // route through str_eq for safety (it falls back to === in JS).
+        if op == "EqEq" {
+            if left_kind == "Int" { return "(" + left_c + " === " + right_c + ")" }
+            if right_kind == "Int" { return "(" + left_c + " === " + right_c + ")" }
+            if left_kind == "Bool" { return "(" + left_c + " === " + right_c + ")" }
+            if right_kind == "Bool" { return "(" + left_c + " === " + right_c + ")" }
+            if left_kind == "Nil" { return "(" + left_c + " === " + right_c + ")" }
+            if right_kind == "Nil" { return "(" + left_c + " === " + right_c + ")" }
+            if left_kind == "Ident" {
+                if right_kind == "Ident" {
+                    let lname: String = left["name"]
+                    let rname: String = right["name"]
+                    if js_is_int_name(lname) {
+                        if js_is_int_name(rname) {
+                            return "(" + left_c + " === " + right_c + ")"
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            if left_kind == "Str" { return "str_eq(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")" }
+            if right_kind == "Str" { return "str_eq(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")" }
+            // Default: === (works for strings, numbers, bools in JS)
+            return "(" + left_c + " === " + right_c + ")"
+        }
+
+        if op == "NotEq" {
+            if left_kind == "Int" { return "(" + left_c + " !== " + right_c + ")" }
+            if right_kind == "Int" { return "(" + left_c + " !== " + right_c + ")" }
+            if left_kind == "Bool" { return "(" + left_c + " !== " + right_c + ")" }
+            if right_kind == "Bool" { return "(" + left_c + " !== " + right_c + ")" }
+            if left_kind == "Nil" { return "(" + left_c + " !== " + right_c + ")" }
+            if right_kind == "Nil" { return "(" + left_c + " !== " + right_c + ")" }
+            if left_kind == "Ident" {
+                if right_kind == "Ident" {
+                    let lname: String = left["name"]
+                    let rname: String = right["name"]
+                    if js_is_int_name(lname) {
+                        if js_is_int_name(rname) {
+                            return "(" + left_c + " !== " + right_c + ")"
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            if left_kind == "Str" { return "!str_eq(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")" }
+            if right_kind == "Str" { return "!str_eq(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")" }
+            return "(" + left_c + " !== " + right_c + ")"
+        }
+
+        let op_c: String = js_binop(op)
+        return "(" + left_c + " " + op_c + " " + right_c + ")"
+    }
+
+    if kind == "Call" {
+        let func = expr["func"]
+        let args = expr["args"]
+        let arity: Int = native_list_len(args)
+        let func_kind: String = func["expr"]
+
+        let args_parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
+        let i = 0
+        while i < arity {
+            let arg = native_list_get(args, i)
+            let arg_c: String = js_cg_expr(arg)
+            let args_parts = native_list_append(args_parts, arg_c)
+            let i = i + 1
+        }
+        let args_c: String = str_join(args_parts, ", ")
+
+        if func_kind == "Ident" {
+            let fn_name: String = func["name"]
+            return fn_name + "(" + args_c + ")"
+        }
+
+        if func_kind == "Field" {
+            // El's `obj.method(args)` becomes `method(obj, args)` — same
+            // convention as the C backend. The runtime exports method
+            // shortforms (append, len, get, map_get, map_set) that match.
+            let obj = func["object"]
+            let field: String = func["field"]
+            let obj_c: String = js_cg_expr(obj)
+            if arity > 0 {
+                return field + "(" + obj_c + ", " + args_c + ")"
+            }
+            return field + "(" + obj_c + ")"
+        }
+
+        let fn_c: String = js_cg_expr(func)
+        return fn_c + "(" + args_c + ")"
+    }
+
+    if kind == "Field" {
+        // El's `obj.foo` becomes JS `obj["foo"]` — works on plain objects
+        // (maps) and on JS objects with prototype. el_get_field is a
+        // runtime helper for callers that want EL_NULL on missing keys.
+        let obj = expr["object"]
+        let field: String = expr["field"]
+        let obj_c: String = js_cg_expr(obj)
+        return "el_get_field(" + obj_c + ", " + js_str_lit(field) + ")"
+    }
+
+    if kind == "Index" {
+        // Map vs list dispatch on the index expression kind, same as C.
+        let obj = expr["object"]
+        let idx = expr["index"]
+        let obj_c: String = js_cg_expr(obj)
+        let idx_c: String = js_cg_expr(idx)
+        let idx_kind: String = idx["expr"]
+        if str_eq(idx_kind, "Str") {
+            return "el_get_field(" + obj_c + ", " + idx_c + ")"
+        }
+        return "el_list_get(" + obj_c + ", " + idx_c + ")"
+    }
+
+    if kind == "Array" {
+        let elems = expr["elems"]
+        let n: Int = native_list_len(elems)
+        if n == 0 { return "[]" }
+        let items_parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
+        let i = 0
+        while i < n {
+            let elem = native_list_get(elems, i)
+            let elem_c: String = js_cg_expr(elem)
+            let items_parts = native_list_append(items_parts, elem_c)
+            let i = i + 1
+        }
+        return "[" + str_join(items_parts, ", ") + "]"
+    }
+
+    if kind == "Map" {
+        let pairs = expr["pairs"]
+        let n: Int = native_list_len(pairs)
+        if n == 0 { return "{}" }
+        let items_parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
+        let i = 0
+        while i < n {
+            let pair = native_list_get(pairs, i)
+            let key: String = pair["key"]
+            let val = pair["value"]
+            let val_c: String = js_cg_expr(val)
+            let items_parts = native_list_append(items_parts, js_str_lit(key) + ": " + val_c)
+            let i = i + 1
+        }
+        return "{" + str_join(items_parts, ", ") + "}"
+    }
+
+    if kind == "Try" {
+        let inner = expr["inner"]
+        return js_cg_expr(inner)
+    }
+
+    if kind == "If" {
+        let cond = expr["cond"]
+        let cond_c: String = js_cg_expr(cond)
+        // If as expression: ternary. Body of the if-expression is not
+        // currently emitted as expression-form for compound bodies; this
+        // matches the C backend's if-expr stub.
+        return "(" + cond_c + " ? 1 : 0)"
+    }
+
+    if kind == "Match" {
+        return js_cg_match(expr)
+    }
+
+    "null"
+}
+
+// ── Match codegen (basic) ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+//
+// Lower a match expression to an IIFE with if/else chain. Works for
+// LitInt / LitStr / LitBool / Wildcard / Binding patterns. Tagged-union
+// destructuring is not implemented — it's stubbed and falls through to
+// the wildcard path.
+
+fn js_next_match_id() -> String {
+    let csv: String = state_get("__js_match_counter")
+    let n = 0
+    if !str_eq(csv, "") {
+        let n = str_to_int(csv)
+    }
+    let n = n + 1
+    state_set("__js_match_counter", native_int_to_str(n))
+    native_int_to_str(n)
+}
+
+fn js_cg_match(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
+    let subject = expr["subject"]
+    let arms = expr["arms"]
+    let subj_c: String = js_cg_expr(subject)
+    let id: String = js_next_match_id()
+    let subj_var: String = "_match_subj_" + id
+    let parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
+    let parts = native_list_append(parts, "((" + subj_var + ") => { ")
+    let n: Int = native_list_len(arms)
+    let i = 0
+    while i < n {
+        let arm = native_list_get(arms, i)
+        let pat = arm["pattern"]
+        let body = arm["body"]
+        let pkind: String = pat["pattern"]
+        let body_c: String = js_cg_expr(body)
+        if str_eq(pkind, "Wildcard") {
+            let parts = native_list_append(parts, "return (" + body_c + "); ")
+        } else {
+            if str_eq(pkind, "Binding") {
+                let bname: String = pat["name"]
+                let parts = native_list_append(parts, "{ const " + bname + " = " + subj_var + "; return (" + body_c + "); } ")
+            } else {
+                if str_eq(pkind, "LitInt") {
+                    let v: String = pat["value"]
+                    let parts = native_list_append(parts, "if (" + subj_var + " === " + v + ") return (" + body_c + "); ")
+                } else {
+                    if str_eq(pkind, "LitStr") {
+                        let v: String = pat["value"]
+                        let parts = native_list_append(parts, "if (str_eq(" + subj_var + ", " + js_str_lit(v) + ")) return (" + body_c + "); ")
+                    } else {
+                        if str_eq(pkind, "LitBool") {
+                            let v: String = pat["value"]
+                            let bv = "false"
+                            if str_eq(v, "true") { let bv = "true" }
+                            let parts = native_list_append(parts, "if (" + subj_var + " === " + bv + ") return (" + body_c + "); ")
+                        } else {
+                            // unknown pattern → wildcard
+                            let parts = native_list_append(parts, "return (" + body_c + "); ")
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+    let parts = native_list_append(parts, "return null; })(" + subj_c + ")")
+    str_join(parts, "")
+}
+
+// ── Variable scope tracking ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
+//
+// El allows `let x = ...` to redeclare in the same scope. JS would throw
+// with `let` (Identifier already declared). We track declared names and
+// emit bare `x = ...` on redeclaration, `let x = ...` first time.
+
+fn js_list_contains(lst: [String], s: String) -> Bool {
+    let n: Int = native_list_len(lst)
+    let i = 0
+    while i < n {
+        let item: String = native_list_get(lst, i)
+        if item == s { return true }
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+    false
+}
+
+// ── Statement codegen ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+fn js_cg_stmt(stmt: Map<String, Any>, indent: String, declared: [String]) -> [String] {
+    let kind: String = stmt["stmt"]
+
+    if kind == "Let" {
+        let name: String = stmt["name"]
+        let val = stmt["value"]
+        let val_c: String = js_cg_expr(val)
+        let ltype: String = stmt["type"]
+        if str_eq(ltype, "Int") {
+            js_add_int_name(name)
+        }
+        let vk: String = val["expr"]
+        if str_eq(vk, "Int") {
+            js_add_int_name(name)
+        }
+        if js_list_contains(declared, name) {
+            js_emit_line(indent + name + " = " + val_c + ";")
+            return declared
+        } else {
+            // Use `let` (not `const`) — El semantics allow rebinding.
+            js_emit_line(indent + "let " + name + " = " + val_c + ";")
+            return native_list_append(declared, name)
+        }
+    }
+
+    if kind == "Return" {
+        let val = stmt["value"]
+        let val_kind: String = val["expr"]
+        if val_kind == "Nil" {
+            js_emit_line(indent + "return null;")
+        } else {
+            let val_c: String = js_cg_expr(val)
+            js_emit_line(indent + "return " + val_c + ";")
+        }
+        return declared
+    }
+
+    // Bare reassignment: `name = expr`. Mirrors the C backend — emits a
+    // plain JS assignment without `let` so we don't shadow an outer binding.
+    if kind == "Assign" {
+        let name: String = stmt["name"]
+        let val = stmt["value"]
+        let val_c: String = js_cg_expr(val)
+        js_emit_line(indent + name + " = " + val_c + ";")
+        return declared
+    }
+
+    if kind == "Expr" {
+        let val = stmt["value"]
+        let val_kind: String = val["expr"]
+        if val_kind == "If" {
+            js_cg_if_stmt(val, indent, declared)
+            return declared
+        }
+        if val_kind == "For" {
+            js_cg_for_stmt(val, indent, declared)
+            return declared
+        }
+        let val_c: String = js_cg_expr(val)
+        js_emit_line(indent + val_c + ";")
+        return declared
+    }
+
+    if kind == "While" {
+        let cond = stmt["cond"]
+        let body = stmt["body"]
+        let cond_c: String = js_cg_expr(cond)
+        let cond_c = js_strip_outer_parens(cond_c)
+        js_emit_line(indent + "while (" + cond_c + ") {")
+        js_cg_stmts(body, indent + "  ", native_list_clone(declared))
+        js_emit_line(indent + "}")
+        return declared
+    }
+
+    if kind == "For" {
+        let item: String = stmt["item"]
+        let list_expr = stmt["list"]
+        let body = stmt["body"]
+        js_cg_for_body(item, list_expr, body, indent, declared)
+        return declared
+    }
+
+    if kind == "FnDef" { return declared }
+    if kind == "TypeDef" { return declared }
+    if kind == "EnumDef" { return declared }
+    if kind == "Import"  { return declared }
+    if kind == "CgiBlock" {
+        // CGI blocks compile to a no-op + warning comment in JS target.
+        // The runtime cgi identity is server-side; UI code is not a CGI
+        // principal. See spec/codegen-js.md §7.
+        let cname: String = stmt["name"]
+        js_emit_line(indent + "// cgi block '" + cname + "' — no-op in JS target (server-side concept)")
+        return declared
+    }
+    if kind == "ServiceBlock" {
+        let sname: String = stmt["name"]
+        js_emit_line(indent + "// service block '" + sname + "' — no-op in JS target")
+        return declared
+    }
+    declared
+}
+
+// Strip a single layer of surrounding parentheses from a JS expression string.
+fn js_strip_outer_parens(s: String) -> String {
+    let chars: [String] = native_string_chars(s)
+    let n: Int = native_list_len(chars)
+    if n < 2 { return s }
+    let first: String = native_list_get(chars, 0)
+    let last: String = native_list_get(chars, n - 1)
+    if first == "(" {
+        if last == ")" {
+            let depth = 1
+            let i = 1
+            let balanced = true
+            while i < n - 1 {
+                let ch: String = native_list_get(chars, i)
+                if ch == "(" {
+                    let depth = depth + 1
+                }
+                if ch == ")" {
+                    let depth = depth - 1
+                    if depth == 0 {
+                        let balanced = false
+                        let i = n
+                    }
+                }
+                let i = i + 1
+            }
+            if balanced {
+                return str_slice(s, 1, n - 1)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    s
+}
+
+fn js_cg_if_stmt(expr: Map<String, Any>, indent: String, declared: [String]) -> Void {
+    let cond = expr["cond"]
+    let then_stmts = expr["then"]
+    let else_stmts = expr["else"]
+    let has_else: Bool = expr["has_else"]
+    let cond_c: String = js_cg_expr(cond)
+    let cond_c = js_strip_outer_parens(cond_c)
+    js_emit_line(indent + "if (" + cond_c + ") {")
+    js_cg_stmts(then_stmts, indent + "  ", native_list_clone(declared))
+    if has_else {
+        js_emit_line(indent + "} else {")
+        js_cg_stmts(else_stmts, indent + "  ", native_list_clone(declared))
+    }
+    js_emit_line(indent + "}")
+}
+
+fn js_cg_for_body(item: String, list_expr: Map<String, Any>, body: [Map<String, Any>], indent: String, declared: [String]) -> Void {
+    let list_c: String = js_cg_expr(list_expr)
+    js_emit_line(indent + "for (const " + item + " of " + list_c + ") {")
+    let body_decl = native_list_clone(declared)
+    let body_decl = native_list_append(body_decl, item)
+    js_cg_stmts(body, indent + "  ", body_decl)
+    js_emit_line(indent + "}")
+}
+
+fn js_cg_for_stmt(expr: Map<String, Any>, indent: String, declared: [String]) -> Void {
+    let item: String = expr["item"]
+    let list_expr = expr["list"]
+    let body = expr["body"]
+    js_cg_for_body(item, list_expr, body, indent, declared)
+}
+
+fn js_cg_stmts(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], indent: String, declared: [String]) -> [String] {
+    let n: Int = native_list_len(stmts)
+    let i = 0
+    let decl = declared
+    while i < n {
+        let stmt = native_list_get(stmts, i)
+        let decl = js_cg_stmt(stmt, indent, decl)
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+    decl
+}
+
+// ── Function declaration codegen ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+fn js_params_str(params: [Map<String, Any>]) -> String {
+    let n: Int = native_list_len(params)
+    if n == 0 { return "" }
+    let parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
+    let i = 0
+    while i < n {
+        let param = native_list_get(params, i)
+        let name: String = param["name"]
+        let parts = native_list_append(parts, name)
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+    str_join(parts, ", ")
+}
+
+// Same implicit-return transform as the C backend.
+fn js_transform_implicit_return(body: [Map<String, Any>]) -> [Map<String, Any>] {
+    let n: Int = native_list_len(body)
+    if n == 0 { return body }
+    let last: Map<String, Any> = native_list_get(body, n - 1)
+    let last_kind: String = last["stmt"]
+    if last_kind == "Expr" {
+        let val = last["value"]
+        let val_kind: String = val["expr"]
+        if val_kind == "If" { return body }
+        if val_kind == "For" { return body }
+        let new_body: [Map<String, Any>] = native_list_empty()
+        let i = 0
+        while i < n - 1 {
+            let new_body = native_list_append(new_body, native_list_get(body, i))
+            let i = i + 1
+        }
+        let return_stmt: Map<String, Any> = { "stmt": "Return", "value": val }
+        let new_body = native_list_append(new_body, return_stmt)
+        return new_body
+    }
+    body
+}
+
+fn js_cg_fn(stmt: Map<String, Any>) -> Void {
+    let fn_name: String = stmt["name"]
+    let params = stmt["params"]
+    let body = stmt["body"]
+    let ret_type: String = stmt["ret_type"]
+    let params_str: String = js_params_str(params)
+    js_build_int_names_for_params(params)
+
+    // Special-case `fn main` — emit as a regular function and call it
+    // at module bottom (after all top-level statements). This matches
+    // the C backend's behavior where `fn main` is the entry point.
+    if fn_name == "main" {
+        js_emit_line("function main(" + params_str + ") {")
+    } else {
+        js_emit_line("function " + fn_name + "(" + params_str + ") {")
+    }
+
+    let decl = native_list_empty()
+    let np: Int = native_list_len(params)
+    let pi = 0
+    while pi < np {
+        let param = native_list_get(params, pi)
+        let pname: String = param["name"]
+        let decl = native_list_append(decl, pname)
+        let pi = pi + 1
+    }
+    let body_xformed = body
+    if !str_eq(ret_type, "Void") {
+        let body_xformed = js_transform_implicit_return(body)
+    }
+    js_cg_stmts(body_xformed, "  ", decl)
+    js_emit_line("}")
+    js_emit_blank()
+}
+
+// ── Top-level codegen ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+fn js_is_fndef(stmt: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
+    let kind: String = stmt["stmt"]
+    if kind == "FnDef" { return true }
+    false
+}
+
+fn js_is_top_level_decl(stmt: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
+    let kind: String = stmt["stmt"]
+    if kind == "TypeDef" { return true }
+    if kind == "EnumDef" { return true }
+    if kind == "Import"  { return true }
+    if kind == "CgiBlock" { return true }
+    if kind == "ServiceBlock" { return true }
+    false
+}
+
+// ── Entry point ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+fn codegen_js(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String {
+    // Reset per-compile state.
+    state_set("__js_int_names", "")
+    state_set("__js_match_counter", "")
+
+    // Preamble: inline the runtime via a single import that side-effects
+    // globalThis. The runtime path is resolved relative to the generated
+    // output; users running `elc --target=js` are responsible for ensuring
+    // el_runtime.js is reachable. For self-contained output, the runtime
+    // could be inlined; that is a follow-up.
+    js_emit_line("// Generated by elc --target=js")
+    js_emit_line("// Runtime: foundation/el/el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.js")
+    js_emit_line("import \"./el_runtime.js\";")
+    js_emit_line("const {")
+    js_emit_line("  println, print, el_str_concat, str_concat, str_eq, str_starts_with, str_ends_with,")
+    js_emit_line("  str_len, int_to_str, str_to_int, str_slice, str_contains, str_replace,")
+    js_emit_line("  str_to_upper, str_to_lower, str_trim, str_index_of, str_split, str_char_at,")
+    js_emit_line("  str_char_code, str_lower, str_upper, el_abs, el_max, el_min,")
+    js_emit_line("  el_list_new, el_list_len, el_list_get, el_list_append, el_list_empty, el_list_clone,")
+    js_emit_line("  list_push, list_join, list_range,")
+    js_emit_line("  el_map_new, el_get_field, el_map_get, el_map_set,")
+    js_emit_line("  http_get, http_post, http_post_json,")
+    js_emit_line("  fs_read, fs_write, fs_list,")
+    js_emit_line("  json_parse, json_stringify, json_get, json_get_string, json_get_int,")
+    js_emit_line("  time_now, time_now_utc, sleep_ms, bool_to_str, exit_program,")
+    js_emit_line("  el_retain, el_release,")
+    js_emit_line("  append, len, get, map_get, map_set,")
+    js_emit_line("  native_list_get, native_list_len, native_list_append, native_list_empty,")
+    js_emit_line("  native_list_clone, native_string_chars, native_int_to_str,")
+    js_emit_line("  args, state_set, state_get, state_del, state_keys, env,")
+    js_emit_line("  dharma_connect, dharma_send, dharma_emit, dharma_field, dharma_activate,")
+    js_emit_line("  engram_node, engram_search, engram_activate,")
+    js_emit_line("  llm_call, llm_call_system,")
+    js_emit_line("} = globalThis.__el;")
+    js_emit_blank()
+
+    // Function definitions
+    let n: Int = native_list_len(stmts)
+    let i = 0
+    while i < n {
+        let stmt = native_list_get(stmts, i)
+        if js_is_fndef(stmt) {
+            js_cg_fn(stmt)
+        }
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+
+    // Top-level statements (those that are not FnDef and not declarative)
+    // run at module load. If the program defines `fn main`, we additionally
+    // call main() at the end so the C-backend mental model of "fn main is
+    // the entry point" carries over.
+    let has_main = false
+    let i = 0
+    while i < n {
+        let stmt = native_list_get(stmts, i)
+        let sk: String = stmt["stmt"]
+        if str_eq(sk, "FnDef") {
+            let fn_name: String = stmt["name"]
+            if str_eq(fn_name, "main") {
+                let has_main = true
+            }
+        }
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+
+    let main_decl = native_list_empty()
+    let i = 0
+    while i < n {
+        let stmt = native_list_get(stmts, i)
+        if js_is_fndef(stmt) {
+            // skip
+        } else {
+            if js_is_top_level_decl(stmt) {
+                // skip
+            } else {
+                let main_decl = js_cg_stmt(stmt, "", main_decl)
+            }
+        }
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+
+    if has_main {
+        js_emit_blank()
+        js_emit_line("main();")
+    }
+
+    // Return empty string — output was streamed via println
+    ""
+}

el-compiler/src/codegen.el

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// codegen.el — El compiler C source code generator
+// codegen.el - El compiler C source code generator
 //
 // Input:  list of AST statement maps (from parser.el)
 // Output: C source printed to stdout (streamed, one line at a time)
@@ -7,37 +7,90 @@
 // Functions map directly to C functions; top-level statements become main().
 //
 // Entry point: fn codegen(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String
-//   Returns "" — output goes to stdout via println().
+//   Returns "" - output goes to stdout via println().
 //
-// Streaming output avoids O(n²) string concatenation: each emitted line is
+// Streaming output avoids O(n-) string concatenation: each emitted line is
 // printed immediately rather than appended to a growing string.
 
-// ── String helpers ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- String helpers ------------------------------------------------------------
 
 // Escape a C string literal (double-quotes and backslashes).
+// Hex-encode a single nibble (0-15) as a lowercase hex character.
+fn nibble_to_hex(n: Int) -> String {
+    str_char_at("0123456789abcdef", n)
+}
+
+// Encode a byte value (0-255) as a two-character hex string.
+fn byte_to_hex2(b: Int) -> String {
+    let hi: Int = (b / 16)
+    let lo: Int = (b - hi * 16)
+    nibble_to_hex(hi) + nibble_to_hex(lo)
+}
+
+// Return true if the byte value is a C hex digit (0-9, a-f, A-F).
+// Used to determine whether a \xNN escape needs a string-literal split
+// to prevent the C preprocessor from greedily consuming following hex chars.
+fn is_hex_digit_byte(b: Int) -> Bool {
+    if b >= 48 { if b <= 57 { return true } }   // 0-9
+    if b >= 65 { if b <= 70 { return true } }   // A-F
+    if b >= 97 { if b <= 102 { return true } }  // a-f
+    false
+}
+
 fn c_escape(s: String) -> String {
-    let chars: [String] = native_string_chars(s)
-    let total: Int = native_list_len(chars)
-    let out = ""
-    let i = 0
+    // Use index-based byte scanning via str_char_code(s, i) and str_char_at(s, i).
+    // This avoids native_string_chars + str_join, which corrupts high-byte (>= 0x80)
+    // characters because list_join's looks_like_string heuristic rejects strings
+    // whose first byte is >= 0x7F and emits them as decimal pointer values instead.
+    //
+    // IMPORTANT: after a \xNN hex escape, if the next byte is a hex digit
+    // (0-9, a-f, A-F), we emit `""` to split the C string literal so the C
+    // compiler does not greedily read extra hex digits as part of the escape.
+    // E.g. "\xad" followed by "bamos" must become "\xad" "bamos" because 'b'
+    // is a hex digit and C would otherwise read "\xadb" (= 0xADB, out of range).
+    let total: Int = str_len(s)
+    let parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
+    let i: Int = 0
+    let prev_was_hex_escape: Bool = false
     while i < total {
-        let ch: String = native_list_get(chars, i)
-        if ch == "\"" {
-            let out = out + "\\\""
+        let bval: Int = str_char_code(s, i)
+        // If the previous token was a \xNN escape and the current byte is a
+        // hex digit, insert an empty string literal ("") to break the escape.
+        if prev_was_hex_escape {
+            if is_hex_digit_byte(bval) {
+                let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\"\"")
+            }
+        }
+        let prev_was_hex_escape = false
+        if bval == 34 {
+            // 34 = '"'
+            let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\\\"")
         } else {
-            if ch == "\\" {
-                let out = out + "\\\\"
+            if bval == 92 {
+                // 92 = '\\'
+                let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\\\\")
             } else {
-                if ch == "\n" {
-                    let out = out + "\\n"
+                if bval == 10 {
+                    // 10 = '\n'
+                    let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\\n")
                 } else {
-                    if ch == "\r" {
-                        let out = out + "\\r"
+                    if bval == 13 {
+                        // 13 = '\r'
+                        let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\\r")
                     } else {
-                        if ch == "\t" {
-                            let out = out + "\\t"
+                        if bval == 9 {
+                            // 9 = '\t'
+                            let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\\t")
                         } else {
-                            let out = out + ch
+                            if bval >= 128 {
+                                // Escape non-ASCII bytes (>= 0x80) as \xNN so
+                                // Clang does not misinterpret multi-byte UTF-8
+                                // sequences in C string literals.
+                                let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\\x" + byte_to_hex2(bval))
+                                let prev_was_hex_escape = true
+                            } else {
+                                let parts = native_list_append(parts, str_char_at(s, i))
+                            }
                         }
                     }
                 }
@@ -45,14 +98,14 @@ fn c_escape(s: String) -> String {
         }
         let i = i + 1
     }
-    out
+    str_join(parts, "")
 }
 
 fn c_str_lit(s: String) -> String {
     "\"" + c_escape(s) + "\""
 }
 
-// ── Type mapping ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Type mapping --------------------------------------------------------------
 
 fn el_type_to_c(type_str: String) -> String {
     if type_str == "String" { return "const char*" }
@@ -64,7 +117,7 @@ fn el_type_to_c(type_str: String) -> String {
     "void*"
 }
 
-// ── Code emission ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Code emission -------------------------------------------------------------
 //
 // emit_line/emit_blank stream output directly via println.
 // This avoids building a large string in memory.
@@ -77,7 +130,7 @@ fn emit_blank() -> Void {
     println("")
 }
 
-// ── Operator helpers ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Operator helpers ----------------------------------------------------------
 
 fn binop_to_c(op: String) -> String {
     if op == "Plus"  { return "+" }
@@ -95,11 +148,11 @@ fn binop_to_c(op: String) -> String {
     op
 }
 
-// ── Expression codegen ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Expression codegen --------------------------------------------------------
 //
 // cg_expr returns a C expression string (not a statement).
 
-// duration_unit_nanos — multiplier from a postfix-literal unit name to
+// duration_unit_nanos - multiplier from a postfix-literal unit name to
 // nanoseconds. Singular and plural forms collapse to the same multiplier;
 // the parser already restricted `unit` to the set is_duration_unit accepts.
 // Returns the multiplier as a decimal string suitable for splicing into
@@ -130,7 +183,7 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
         return v
     }
 
-    // DurationLit — postfix-literal time value (e.g. 30.seconds, 1.hour).
+    // DurationLit - postfix-literal time value (e.g. 30.seconds, 1.hour).
     // Lowered to a literal int64 nanosecond count, wrapped in the runtime
     // entry point so the intent is explicit at the C level. The arithmetic
     // is fully constant-folded by any optimising C compiler.
@@ -144,7 +197,7 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
     if kind == "Float" {
         // Wrap Float literals in el_from_float() so the bit pattern is
         // preserved through the el_val_t (int64) slot. Without this,
-        // implicit double→int64 conversion in C truncates `0.8` to `0`
+        // implicit double->int64 conversion in C truncates `0.8` to `0`
         // when passed to a builtin that expects el_val_t.
         let v: String = expr["value"]
         return "el_from_float(" + v + ")"
@@ -191,7 +244,26 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
         let left_kind: String = left["expr"]
         let right_kind: String = right["expr"]
 
-        // ── Temporal-type dispatch (Instant + Duration first-class) ────────
+        // -- String/equality fast-path: skip O(N-) temporal traversals --------
+        // The 10 temporal predicates below each recurse into the left subtree:
+        // O(depth) state_get calls per predicate, O(N-) total for a chain of N
+        // string-concat BinOps (e.g. the 70-100-part HTML chains in soul.el).
+        // When either operand is a bare Str literal the result is always concat
+        // or str_eq - no temporal dispatch is possible. Exit immediately.
+        if str_eq(op, "Plus") {
+            if str_eq(left_kind, "Str") { return "el_str_concat(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")" }
+            if str_eq(right_kind, "Str") { return "el_str_concat(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")" }
+        }
+        if str_eq(op, "EqEq") {
+            if str_eq(left_kind, "Str") { return "str_eq(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")" }
+            if str_eq(right_kind, "Str") { return "str_eq(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")" }
+        }
+        if str_eq(op, "NotEq") {
+            if str_eq(left_kind, "Str") { return "!str_eq(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")" }
+            if str_eq(right_kind, "Str") { return "!str_eq(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")" }
+        }
+
+        // -- Temporal-type dispatch (Instant + Duration first-class) --------
         // Run BEFORE the int / string / generic paths so typed temporal
         // operands route through the runtime wrappers and invalid combos
         // become #error directives rather than silently falling through to
@@ -377,7 +449,7 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
                     if right_is_dur { return "el_duration_ne(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")" }
                 }
             }
-            // Fall through — let the existing path handle anything we
+            // Fall through - let the existing path handle anything we
             // didn't explicitly cover (typically string-concat with a
             // typed temporal value, e.g. for debug prints, which works
             // because both share the int64 slot).
@@ -396,7 +468,7 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
             // builtin, or BinOp arithmetic over Ints) participates in
             // arithmetic, not string concat. Recursion into BinOp lets
             // `a + b + c` (chained Int adds) and `acc * 16 + d` route to
-            // arithmetic instead of falling to el_str_concat — both sides
+            // arithmetic instead of falling to el_str_concat - both sides
             // are Int so the outer `+` is too.
             if is_int_expr(left) {
                 if is_int_expr(right) {
@@ -417,7 +489,7 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
                 return "(" + left_c + " " + op_c + " " + right_c + ")"
             }
             // Otherwise: BinOp(+) with a Call/Ident side without int-typed
-            // evidence — fall back to string concat (the historical default).
+            // evidence - fall back to string concat (the historical default).
             if left_kind == "Call" {
                 return "el_str_concat(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")"
             }
@@ -449,7 +521,7 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
         // identifiers tracked in __int_names (typed Int via `let x: Int = ...`).
         // Without the int-name check, `seen == idx` between two Int locals
         // miscompiles to str_eq(seen, idx), strcmp'ing what are integer values
-        // dressed as char* — segfault on the first non-printable byte.
+        // dressed as char* - segfault on the first non-printable byte.
         if op == "EqEq" {
             if left_kind == "Int" {
                 return "(" + left_c + " == " + right_c + ")"
@@ -565,17 +637,15 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
         let arity: Int = native_list_len(args)
         let func_kind: String = func["expr"]
 
-        let args_c = ""
+        let args_parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
         let i = 0
         while i < arity {
             let arg = native_list_get(args, i)
             let arg_c: String = cg_expr(arg)
-            if i > 0 {
-                let args_c = args_c + ", "
-            }
-            let args_c = args_c + arg_c
+            let args_parts = native_list_append(args_parts, arg_c)
             let i = i + 1
         }
+        let args_c: String = str_join(args_parts, ", ")
 
         if func_kind == "Ident" {
             let fn_name: String = func["name"]
@@ -585,17 +655,17 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
             // violations to be emitted as #error directives at the
             // top of the generated C, so cc fails with a clear msg.
             cap_check_call(fn_name)
-            // Arity check against the builtin table — refuse, with a clear
+            // Arity check against the builtin table - refuse, with a clear
             // El-source message, when a known builtin gets the wrong arg
             // count (e.g. `http_serve(port)` instead of `http_serve(port,
             // handler)`). User-defined fns and variadic builtins pass
             // through (builtin_arity returns -1).
             arity_check_call(fn_name, arity)
-            // sleep(Duration) — Phase 1 of the typed-time work. When the
+            // sleep(Duration) - Phase 1 of the typed-time work. When the
             // single arg is provably a Duration we lower to el_sleep_duration
             // so the runtime sees nanos directly. Existing sleep() callers
             // that pass an Int still emit `sleep(<int>)`, which falls through
-            // to the no-such-symbol path — those call sites must migrate to
+            // to the no-such-symbol path - those call sites must migrate to
             // a typed Duration. Acceptable: the spec marks them out for an
             // audit pass during Phase 1.
             if str_eq(fn_name, "sleep") {
@@ -606,6 +676,20 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
                     }
                 }
             }
+            // el_from_float takes a raw C double - do not wrap the float
+            // argument in el_from_float() again. Without this, the float
+            // literal codegen (which wraps every Float in el_from_float())
+            // produces el_from_float(el_from_float(0.7)) - double-encoded.
+            if str_eq(fn_name, "el_from_float") {
+                if arity == 1 {
+                    let only_arg = native_list_get(args, 0)
+                    let arg_kind: String = only_arg["expr"]
+                    if str_eq(arg_kind, "Float") {
+                        let v: String = only_arg["value"]
+                        return "el_from_float(" + v + ")"
+                    }
+                }
+            }
             return fn_name + "(" + args_c + ")"
         }
 
@@ -639,8 +723,8 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
         // El programs use `t["field"]` for map access and `arr[i]` for
         // list access. The parser emits the same Index node for both.
         // Dispatch at codegen time on the index expression kind: string-
-        // literal index → map field access (`el_get_field`); anything
-        // else → list element access (`el_list_get`).
+        // literal index -> map field access (`el_get_field`); anything
+        // else -> list element access (`el_list_get`).
         let obj = expr["object"]
         let idx = expr["index"]
         let obj_c: String = cg_expr(obj)
@@ -658,18 +742,15 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
         // Empty literal: el_list_new(0, ) generates malformed C (trailing
         // comma in a varargs call). Emit el_list_empty() directly.
         if n == 0 { return "el_list_empty()" }
-        let items = ""
+        let items_parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
         let i = 0
         while i < n {
             let elem = native_list_get(elems, i)
             let elem_c: String = cg_expr(elem)
-            if i > 0 {
-                let items = items + ", "
-            }
-            let items = items + elem_c
+            let items_parts = native_list_append(items_parts, elem_c)
             let i = i + 1
         }
-        return "el_list_new(" + native_int_to_str(n) + ", " + items + ")"
+        return "el_list_new(" + native_int_to_str(n) + ", " + str_join(items_parts, ", ") + ")"
     }
 
     if kind == "Map" {
@@ -677,23 +758,20 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
         let n: Int = native_list_len(pairs)
         // Empty literal: `el_map_new(0, )` is malformed C (trailing comma in
         // a varargs call). Emit `el_map_new(0)` directly so empty-map
-        // shadowing inside for/while/if bodies — `let acc: Map = {}` —
+        // shadowing inside for/while/if bodies - `let acc: Map = {}` -
         // doesn't fail downstream cc with parse errors.
         if n == 0 { return "el_map_new(0)" }
-        let items = ""
+        let items_parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
         let i = 0
         while i < n {
             let pair = native_list_get(pairs, i)
             let key: String = pair["key"]
             let val = pair["value"]
             let val_c: String = cg_expr(val)
-            if i > 0 {
-                let items = items + ", "
-            }
-            let items = items + c_str_lit(key) + ", " + val_c
+            let items_parts = native_list_append(items_parts, c_str_lit(key) + ", " + val_c)
             let i = i + 1
         }
-        return "el_map_new(" + native_int_to_str(n) + ", " + items + ")"
+        return "el_map_new(" + native_int_to_str(n) + ", " + str_join(items_parts, ", ") + ")"
     }
 
     if kind == "Try" {
@@ -712,7 +790,7 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
     "EL_NULL"
 }
 
-// ── Match codegen ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Match codegen -------------------------------------------------------------
 //
 // Lower a match expression to a GCC/Clang statement-expression.
 // A unique label suffix is allocated per match via state_set("__match_counter").
@@ -736,7 +814,9 @@ fn cg_match(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
     let subj_var: String = "_match_subj_" + id
     let result_var: String = "_match_result_" + id
     let done_label: String = "_match_done_" + id
-    let out: String = "({ el_val_t " + subj_var + " = " + subj_c + "; el_val_t " + result_var + " = 0; "
+    // Accumulate arm fragments into a list to avoid O(n-) string growth.
+    let parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
+    let parts = native_list_append(parts, "({ el_val_t " + subj_var + " = " + subj_c + "; el_val_t " + result_var + " = 0; ")
     let n: Int = native_list_len(arms)
     let i = 0
     while i < n {
@@ -746,19 +826,19 @@ fn cg_match(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
         let pkind: String = pat["pattern"]
         let body_c: String = cg_expr(body)
         if str_eq(pkind, "Wildcard") {
-            let out = out + "{ " + result_var + " = (" + body_c + "); goto " + done_label + "; } "
+            let parts = native_list_append(parts, "{ " + result_var + " = (" + body_c + "); goto " + done_label + "; } ")
         } else {
             if str_eq(pkind, "Binding") {
                 let bname: String = pat["name"]
-                let out = out + "{ el_val_t " + bname + " = " + subj_var + "; " + result_var + " = (" + body_c + "); goto " + done_label + "; } "
+                let parts = native_list_append(parts, "{ el_val_t " + bname + " = " + subj_var + "; " + result_var + " = (" + body_c + "); goto " + done_label + "; } ")
             } else {
                 if str_eq(pkind, "LitInt") {
                     let v: String = pat["value"]
-                    let out = out + "if (" + subj_var + " == " + v + ") { " + result_var + " = (" + body_c + "); goto " + done_label + "; } "
+                    let parts = native_list_append(parts, "if (" + subj_var + " == " + v + ") { " + result_var + " = (" + body_c + "); goto " + done_label + "; } ")
                 } else {
                     if str_eq(pkind, "LitStr") {
                         let v: String = pat["value"]
-                        let out = out + "if (str_eq(" + subj_var + ", EL_STR(" + c_str_lit(v) + "))) { " + result_var + " = (" + body_c + "); goto " + done_label + "; } "
+                        let parts = native_list_append(parts, "if (str_eq(" + subj_var + ", EL_STR(" + c_str_lit(v) + "))) { " + result_var + " = (" + body_c + "); goto " + done_label + "; } ")
                     } else {
                         if str_eq(pkind, "LitBool") {
                             let v: String = pat["value"]
@@ -766,10 +846,10 @@ fn cg_match(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
                             if str_eq(v, "true") {
                                 let bv = "1"
                             }
-                            let out = out + "if (" + subj_var + " == " + bv + ") { " + result_var + " = (" + body_c + "); goto " + done_label + "; } "
+                            let parts = native_list_append(parts, "if (" + subj_var + " == " + bv + ") { " + result_var + " = (" + body_c + "); goto " + done_label + "; } ")
                         } else {
-                            // unknown pattern → wildcard
-                            let out = out + "{ " + result_var + " = (" + body_c + "); goto " + done_label + "; } "
+                            // unknown pattern -> wildcard
+                            let parts = native_list_append(parts, "{ " + result_var + " = (" + body_c + "); goto " + done_label + "; } ")
                         }
                     }
                 }
@@ -777,11 +857,11 @@ fn cg_match(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
         }
         let i = i + 1
     }
-    let out = out + done_label + ":; " + result_var + "; })"
-    out
+    let parts = native_list_append(parts, done_label + ":; " + result_var + "; })")
+    str_join(parts, "")
 }
 
-// ── If-as-expression codegen ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- If-as-expression codegen -------------------------------------------------
 //
 // Lower `if cond { thenBody } else { elseBody }` used in expression position
 // (e.g. `let x = if a { b } else { c }`) to a GCC/Clang statement-expression
@@ -809,7 +889,8 @@ fn next_if_id() -> String {
 // result var stays at its initial 0.
 fn cg_if_expr_arm(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], result_var: String) -> String {
     let n: Int = native_list_len(stmts)
-    let out = ""
+    // Collect statement fragments into a list to avoid O(n-) string growth.
+    let parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
     let i = 0
     while i < n {
         let s = native_list_get(stmts, i)
@@ -820,31 +901,31 @@ fn cg_if_expr_arm(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], result_var: String) -> String {
             let name: String = s["name"]
             let val = s["value"]
             let val_c: String = cg_expr(val)
-            let out = out + "el_val_t " + name + " = " + val_c + "; "
+            let parts = native_list_append(parts, "el_val_t " + name + " = " + val_c + "; ")
         } else {
             if str_eq(sk, "Return") {
                 let val = s["value"]
                 let val_c: String = cg_expr(val)
-                let out = out + result_var + " = (" + val_c + "); "
+                let parts = native_list_append(parts, result_var + " = (" + val_c + "); ")
             } else {
                 if str_eq(sk, "Expr") {
                     let val = s["value"]
                     let val_c: String = cg_expr(val)
                     if is_last {
-                        let out = out + result_var + " = (" + val_c + "); "
+                        let parts = native_list_append(parts, result_var + " = (" + val_c + "); ")
                     } else {
-                        let out = out + "(void)(" + val_c + "); "
+                        let parts = native_list_append(parts, "(void)(" + val_c + "); ")
                     }
                 } else {
                     if str_eq(sk, "Assign") {
-                        // Real reassignment in an expression-position arm —
+                        // Real reassignment in an expression-position arm -
                         // emit the store; the arm's "value" stays whatever
                         // result_var was last set to, which is the El
                         // semantics (assignment is a statement, not a value).
                         let aname: String = s["name"]
                         let aval = s["value"]
                         let aval_c: String = cg_expr(aval)
-                        let out = out + aname + " = " + aval_c + "; "
+                        let parts = native_list_append(parts, aname + " = " + aval_c + "; ")
                     } else {
                         // Non-trivial stmt kinds (While/For) shouldn't appear in
                         // expression-position arm bodies; emit nothing rather
@@ -855,7 +936,7 @@ fn cg_if_expr_arm(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], result_var: String) -> String {
         }
         let i = i + 1
     }
-    out
+    str_join(parts, "")
 }
 
 fn cg_if_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
@@ -875,7 +956,7 @@ fn cg_if_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
     out
 }
 
-// ── Variable scope tracking ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Variable scope tracking ---------------------------------------------------
 //
 // El allows `let x = expr` to both declare and reassign x in the same scope.
 // C doesn't allow redeclaring the same name in the same block.
@@ -894,7 +975,7 @@ fn list_contains(lst: [String], s: String) -> Bool {
     false
 }
 
-// ── Statement codegen ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Statement codegen ---------------------------------------------------------
 //
 // cg_stmt emits C lines via println. declared is a list of already-declared
 // variable names in the current C scope; returns updated declared list.
@@ -943,7 +1024,7 @@ fn cg_stmt(stmt: Map<String, Any>, indent: String, declared: [String]) -> [Strin
         if str_eq(ltype, "Zone") {
             add_zone_name(name)
         }
-        // Inference from RHS — duration literals and known-typed calls
+        // Inference from RHS - duration literals and known-typed calls
         // propagate even when the let is unannotated.
         if is_instant_expr(val) {
             add_instant_name(name)
@@ -998,7 +1079,7 @@ fn cg_stmt(stmt: Map<String, Any>, indent: String, declared: [String]) -> [Strin
     }
 
     // Bare reassignment: `name = expr`. Always emits a plain C assignment
-    // (no `el_val_t` prefix) — by construction the parser only produces
+    // (no `el_val_t` prefix) - by construction the parser only produces
     // Assign for an existing identifier. If the name happens NOT to be in
     // `declared` for the current C scope (it was let-bound by an enclosing
     // block) the emit still resolves at C level because the variable lives
@@ -1033,7 +1114,7 @@ fn cg_stmt(stmt: Map<String, Any>, indent: String, declared: [String]) -> [Strin
         let cond_c: String = cg_expr(cond)
         let cond_c = strip_outer_parens(cond_c)
         emit_line(indent + "while (" + cond_c + ") {")
-        // Body lives in its own C block — clone so let-bindings inside the
+        // Body lives in its own C block - clone so let-bindings inside the
         // loop don't leak into the parent's `declared` list (which would make
         // a sibling scope's `let x` emit assignment on an undeclared name).
         cg_stmts(body, indent + "  ", native_list_clone(declared))
@@ -1053,6 +1134,7 @@ fn cg_stmt(stmt: Map<String, Any>, indent: String, declared: [String]) -> [Strin
     if kind == "TypeDef" { return declared }
     if kind == "EnumDef" { return declared }
     if kind == "Import"  { return declared }
+    if kind == "ExternFn" { return declared }
     if kind == "CgiBlock" { return declared }
     declared
 }
@@ -1084,14 +1166,7 @@ fn strip_outer_parens(s: String) -> String {
                 let i = i + 1
             }
             if balanced {
-                let inner = ""
-                let j = 1
-                while j < n - 1 {
-                    let ch: String = native_list_get(chars, j)
-                    let inner = inner + ch
-                    let j = j + 1
-                }
-                return inner
+                return str_slice(s, 1, n - 1)
             }
         }
     }
@@ -1106,7 +1181,7 @@ fn cg_if_stmt(expr: Map<String, Any>, indent: String, declared: [String]) -> Voi
     let cond_c: String = cg_expr(cond)
     let cond_c = strip_outer_parens(cond_c)
     emit_line(indent + "if (" + cond_c + ") {")
-    // Each branch gets its own clone of `declared` — variables let-bound
+    // Each branch gets its own clone of `declared` - variables let-bound
     // inside the then/else block live only in that C scope, and must not
     // leak back to the parent (or to the sibling branch) through shared
     // list mutation. Cheap shallow copy; the entries (variable name strings)
@@ -1158,7 +1233,7 @@ fn cg_stmts(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], indent: String, declared: [String]) -> [S
     decl
 }
 
-// ── Function declaration codegen ───────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Function declaration codegen -----------------------------------------------
 
 fn param_decl(param: Map<String, Any>, idx: Int) -> String {
     let name: String = param["name"]
@@ -1168,18 +1243,15 @@ fn param_decl(param: Map<String, Any>, idx: Int) -> String {
 fn params_to_c(params: [Map<String, Any>]) -> String {
     let n: Int = native_list_len(params)
     if n == 0 { return "void" }
-    let out = ""
+    let parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
     let i = 0
     while i < n {
         let param = native_list_get(params, i)
         let decl: String = param_decl(param, i)
-        if i > 0 {
-            let out = out + ", "
-        }
-        let out = out + decl
+        let parts = native_list_append(parts, decl)
         let i = i + 1
     }
-    out
+    str_join(parts, ", ")
 }
 
 // Transform a function body so that an implicit-return final expression
@@ -1230,7 +1302,7 @@ fn is_int_name(name: String) -> Bool {
 
 // Same shape as is_int_name, for Instant- and Duration-typed bindings.
 // Used by the BinOp/comparison codegen to dispatch arithmetic through the
-// typed runtime wrappers (el_instant_add_dur, el_duration_lt, …) and to
+// typed runtime wrappers (el_instant_add_dur, el_duration_lt, -) and to
 // surface mismatches (Instant + Instant, Duration + Int) as #error
 // directives at the top of the generated C.
 fn is_instant_name(name: String) -> Bool {
@@ -1292,7 +1364,7 @@ fn is_int_call(call_expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
 }
 
 // Builtins that return an Instant. Used by is_instant_expr and the BinOp
-// dispatch — `now() + 5.seconds` types as Instant only because we can see
+// dispatch - `now() + 5.seconds` types as Instant only because we can see
 // that now() is an Instant-returning Call.
 fn is_instant_call(call_expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
     let func = call_expr["func"]
@@ -1328,7 +1400,7 @@ fn is_duration_call(call_expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
     return false
 }
 
-// Phase 1.5 — Calendar / CalendarTime / Rhythm / LocalDate / LocalTime /
+// Phase 1.5 - Calendar / CalendarTime / Rhythm / LocalDate / LocalTime /
 // LocalDateTime / Zone are first-class boxed types. Each has its own name
 // set in process state, populated from typed `let` bindings and parameter
 // annotations. The BinOp dispatcher consults these to forbid mismatched
@@ -1516,7 +1588,7 @@ fn is_zone_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
 // Recursive type predicates for Instant / Duration. Mirror is_int_expr.
 // is_instant_expr / is_duration_expr return true only when the expression
 // is provably of that type at codegen time. Anything ambiguous returns
-// false — the BinOp dispatcher then leaves the expression on the
+// false - the BinOp dispatcher then leaves the expression on the
 // untyped-int path, which is the safest fallback because at the runtime
 // level all three types share the int64 slot.
 fn is_instant_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
@@ -1531,8 +1603,8 @@ fn is_instant_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
     if str_eq(k, "BinOp") {
         let op: String = expr["op"]
         if str_eq(op, "Plus") {
-            // Instant + Duration  → Instant
-            // Duration + Instant  → Instant
+            // Instant + Duration  -> Instant
+            // Duration + Instant  -> Instant
             if is_instant_expr(expr["left"]) {
                 if is_duration_expr(expr["right"]) { return true }
             }
@@ -1542,7 +1614,7 @@ fn is_instant_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
             return false
         }
         if str_eq(op, "Minus") {
-            // Instant - Duration  → Instant
+            // Instant - Duration  -> Instant
             if is_instant_expr(expr["left"]) {
                 if is_duration_expr(expr["right"]) { return true }
             }
@@ -1569,15 +1641,15 @@ fn is_duration_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
     if str_eq(k, "BinOp") {
         let op: String = expr["op"]
         if str_eq(op, "Plus") {
-            // Duration + Duration → Duration
+            // Duration + Duration -> Duration
             if is_duration_expr(expr["left"]) {
                 if is_duration_expr(expr["right"]) { return true }
             }
             return false
         }
         if str_eq(op, "Minus") {
-            // Duration - Duration → Duration
-            // Instant - Instant   → Duration (caught here, not in is_instant_expr)
+            // Duration - Duration -> Duration
+            // Instant - Instant   -> Duration (caught here, not in is_instant_expr)
             if is_duration_expr(expr["left"]) {
                 if is_duration_expr(expr["right"]) { return true }
             }
@@ -1587,8 +1659,8 @@ fn is_duration_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
             return false
         }
         if str_eq(op, "Star") {
-            // Duration * Int  → Duration
-            // Int * Duration  → Duration
+            // Duration * Int  -> Duration
+            // Int * Duration  -> Duration
             if is_duration_expr(expr["left"]) {
                 if is_int_expr(expr["right"]) { return true }
             }
@@ -1598,7 +1670,7 @@ fn is_duration_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
             return false
         }
         if str_eq(op, "Slash") {
-            // Duration / Int  → Duration
+            // Duration / Int  -> Duration
             if is_duration_expr(expr["left"]) {
                 if is_int_expr(expr["right"]) { return true }
             }
@@ -1629,13 +1701,13 @@ fn time_record_violation(kind: String, detail: String) -> Bool {
 // the outer dispatch only checks the immediate kind, not the inner.
 //
 // Rules:
-//   Int literal                      → Int
-//   Ident in __int_names             → Int
-//   Call to known-Int builtin        → Int
-//   Neg of Int                       → Int
-//   BinOp arithmetic of two Ints     → Int  (Plus, Minus, Star, Slash, Percent)
-//   BinOp comparison/logical         → Int  (yields 0/1; safe to treat as Int)
-//   anything else                    → not provably Int
+//   Int literal                      -> Int
+//   Ident in __int_names             -> Int
+//   Call to known-Int builtin        -> Int
+//   Neg of Int                       -> Int
+//   BinOp arithmetic of two Ints     -> Int  (Plus, Minus, Star, Slash, Percent)
+//   BinOp comparison/logical         -> Int  (yields 0/1; safe to treat as Int)
+//   anything else                    -> not provably Int
 fn is_int_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
     let k: String = expr["expr"]
     if str_eq(k, "Int") { return true }
@@ -1654,7 +1726,7 @@ fn is_int_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
     }
     if str_eq(k, "BinOp") {
         let op: String = expr["op"]
-        // Comparisons and logicals always yield 0/1 — safe Int.
+        // Comparisons and logicals always yield 0/1 - safe Int.
         if str_eq(op, "EqEq")  { return true }
         if str_eq(op, "NotEq") { return true }
         if str_eq(op, "Lt")    { return true }
@@ -1663,7 +1735,7 @@ fn is_int_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
         if str_eq(op, "GtEq")  { return true }
         if str_eq(op, "And")   { return true }
         if str_eq(op, "Or")    { return true }
-        // Arithmetic propagates: Int op Int → Int.
+        // Arithmetic propagates: Int op Int -> Int.
         if str_eq(op, "Plus")  {
             if is_int_expr(expr["left"]) {
                 if is_int_expr(expr["right"]) { return true }
@@ -1693,7 +1765,7 @@ fn is_int_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
     return false
 }
 
-// ── Capability-kind enforcement ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Capability-kind enforcement ----------------------------------------------
 //
 // A program's top-level block (cgi / service / none) determines which
 // runtime primitives it may call. The compiler records violations in
@@ -1702,11 +1774,11 @@ fn is_int_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
 // downstream cc step fails with a clear message.
 //
 // Capability tiers:
-//   "cgi"     — full self-formation. All primitives.
-//   "service" — bounded. Cannot call self-formation primitives:
+//   "cgi"     - full self-formation. All primitives.
+//   "service" - bounded. Cannot call self-formation primitives:
 //               llm_call_agentic, llm_register_tool, dharma_emit,
 //               dharma_field. Single-turn LLM calls are allowed.
-//   "utility" — default. No DHARMA, no LLM. Pure compute + I/O.
+//   "utility" - default. No DHARMA, no LLM. Pure compute + I/O.
 //
 // The compiler-level rule is structural: the binary either CAN or CANNOT
 // emit the call. There is no runtime check, no opt-in, no override.
@@ -1721,7 +1793,7 @@ fn cap_record_violation(kind: String, fn_name: String) -> Bool {
     return true
 }
 
-// Self-formation primitives — the cut between CGI and service. A program
+// Self-formation primitives - the cut between CGI and service. A program
 // that emits these calls IS structurally a CGI; we forbid them everywhere
 // else.
 fn is_self_formation_call(fn_name: String) -> Bool {
@@ -1732,7 +1804,7 @@ fn is_self_formation_call(fn_name: String) -> Bool {
     return false
 }
 
-// Any DHARMA primitive — utilities have zero network presence.
+// Any DHARMA primitive - utilities have zero network presence.
 fn is_dharma_call(fn_name: String) -> Bool {
     if str_eq(fn_name, "dharma_connect") { return true }
     if str_eq(fn_name, "dharma_send") { return true }
@@ -1745,7 +1817,7 @@ fn is_dharma_call(fn_name: String) -> Bool {
     return false
 }
 
-// Any LLM primitive — utilities have no LLM access at all.
+// Any LLM primitive - utilities have no LLM access at all.
 fn is_llm_call(fn_name: String) -> Bool {
     if str_eq(fn_name, "llm_call") { return true }
     if str_eq(fn_name, "llm_call_system") { return true }
@@ -1795,14 +1867,14 @@ fn emit_cap_violations() -> Void {
         if colon > 0 {
             let kind: String = str_slice(entry, 0, colon)
             let fn_name: String = str_slice(entry, colon + 1, str_len(entry))
-            emit_line("#error \"capability violation: '" + kind + "' programs may not call '" + fn_name + "' (self-formation primitive — only 'cgi' programs may use it)\"")
+            emit_line("#error \"capability violation: '" + kind + "' programs may not call '" + fn_name + "' (self-formation primitive - only 'cgi' programs may use it)\"")
         }
         let i = i + next_comma + 1
     }
 }
 
 // Surface temporal-type violations as #error directives. The cg_expr BinOp
-// dispatcher records each violation (Instant + Instant, Duration + Int, …)
+// dispatcher records each violation (Instant + Instant, Duration + Int, -)
 // as a CSV entry "kind:detail" via time_record_violation. Each entry maps
 // to a single #error so downstream cc fails the build with a clear El-
 // source-level message before the bogus C even links.
@@ -1825,7 +1897,7 @@ fn emit_time_violations() -> Void {
     }
 }
 
-// ── Builtin arity table ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Builtin arity table -------------------------------------------------------
 //
 // El programs sometimes call runtime builtins with the wrong number of
 // arguments (e.g. `http_serve(port)` instead of `http_serve(port, handler)`).
@@ -1835,7 +1907,7 @@ fn emit_time_violations() -> Void {
 //
 // Strategy: a small static table mirrors el_runtime.h. Variadic builtins
 // (el_list_new, el_map_new, args) and unknown identifiers (user fns,
-// dynamic dispatch) return -1 → no check. A mismatch records a violation
+// dynamic dispatch) return -1 -> no check. A mismatch records a violation
 // in process state, which emit_arity_violations() turns into #error
 // directives at the top of the generated C.
 fn builtin_arity(name: String) -> Int {
@@ -2039,7 +2111,7 @@ fn builtin_arity(name: String) -> Int {
     if str_eq(name, "get") { return 2 }
     if str_eq(name, "map_get") { return 2 }
     if str_eq(name, "map_set") { return 3 }
-    // -1 sentinel: variadic / unknown / user-defined → no check.
+    // -1 sentinel: variadic / unknown / user-defined -> no check.
     return -1
 }
 
@@ -2237,7 +2309,7 @@ fn build_int_names_for_params(params: [Map<String, Any>]) -> Bool {
 
 fn cg_fn(stmt: Map<String, Any>) -> Void {
     let fn_name: String = stmt["name"]
-    // Skip El's `fn main()` — C provides its own main() for top-level stmts
+    // Skip El's `fn main()` - C provides its own main() for top-level stmts
     // and a duplicate `el_val_t main(void)` would collide with it.
     if fn_name == "main" { return }
     let params = stmt["params"]
@@ -2269,8 +2341,8 @@ fn cg_fn(stmt: Map<String, Any>) -> Void {
     }
     // Lift the final bare expression into an explicit return so implicit
     // returns ("fn lex(s) { ... tokens }") actually return their value.
-    // Void-returning functions skip this — wrapping `println(x)` in
-    // `return …` is a C type error.
+    // Void-returning functions skip this - wrapping `println(x)` in
+    // `return -` is a C type error.
     let body_xformed = body
     if !str_eq(ret_type, "Void") {
         let body_xformed = transform_implicit_return(body)
@@ -2281,7 +2353,7 @@ fn cg_fn(stmt: Map<String, Any>) -> Void {
     emit_blank()
 }
 
-// ── Top-level codegen ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Top-level codegen ---------------------------------------------------------
 
 fn is_fndef(stmt: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
     let kind: String = stmt["stmt"]
@@ -2295,6 +2367,7 @@ fn is_top_level_decl(stmt: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
     if kind == "EnumDef" { return true }
     if kind == "Import"  { return true }
     if kind == "CgiBlock" { return true }
+    if kind == "ExternFn" { return true }
     false
 }
 
@@ -2306,7 +2379,7 @@ fn cgi_arg(value: String, has_value: Bool) -> String {
     return "EL_NULL"
 }
 
-// ── VBD role enforcement ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- VBD role enforcement ------------------------------------------------------
 //
 // Scan a function body for direct calls to DHARMA-restricted builtins
 // (dharma_emit, dharma_field). These may only appear inside @manager fns.
@@ -2439,16 +2512,16 @@ fn vbd_has_restricted_call(stmts: [Map<String, Any>]) -> Bool {
     false
 }
 
-// ── Entry point ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Entry point ----------------------------------------------------------------
 
 fn codegen(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String {
     // Detect cgi/service blocks: at most one declarative top-level block.
     // The block determines the program's CAPABILITY KIND:
-    //   "cgi"     — full self-formation. Calls all primitives.
-    //   "service" — bounded. Cannot call self-formation primitives
+    //   "cgi"     - full self-formation. Calls all primitives.
+    //   "service" - bounded. Cannot call self-formation primitives
     //               (llm_call_agentic, llm_register_tool, dharma_emit,
     //               dharma_field, mindlink-creation).
-    //   "utility" — default; no DHARMA membership, no LLM, no agentic.
+    //   "utility" - default; no DHARMA membership, no LLM, no agentic.
     // Codegen enforces this with #error directives at every restricted
     // call site. The capability boundary is structural: a binary either
     // CAN or CANNOT do a thing, and the compiler decides at emission time.
@@ -2483,7 +2556,7 @@ fn codegen(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String {
     }
     if cgi_count >= 1 {
         if svc_count >= 1 {
-            emit_line("#error \"El: program declares both cgi and service blocks (mutually exclusive — pick one)\"")
+            emit_line("#error \"El: program declares both cgi and service blocks (mutually exclusive - pick one)\"")
         }
     }
     // Stash the program kind so cg_expr's Call branch can enforce
@@ -2503,9 +2576,44 @@ fn codegen(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String {
     emit_line("#include <stdint.h>")
     emit_line("#include <stdlib.h>")
     emit_line("#include \"el_runtime.h\"")
+
+    // Cross-module forward declarations: for each imported module, emit
+    // #include "module.elh" so Clang sees the function signatures from
+    // that module without needing the full source inlined. The .elh files
+    // are generated by `elc --emit-header` and live in the same dist/
+    // directory as the generated .c files. We use basename only (strip
+    // the directory prefix and .el extension) so the include resolves
+    // correctly regardless of the source tree layout.
+    let imp_n: Int = native_list_len(stmts)
+    let imp_i = 0
+    while imp_i < imp_n {
+        let imp_stmt = native_list_get(stmts, imp_i)
+        let imp_kind: String = imp_stmt["stmt"]
+        if str_eq(imp_kind, "Import") {
+            let imp_path: String = imp_stmt["path"]
+            // Extract basename: find last '/' and strip from there.
+            let imp_path_len: Int = str_len(imp_path)
+            let imp_last_slash: Int = -1
+            let imp_j: Int = 0
+            while imp_j < imp_path_len {
+                let imp_c: String = str_slice(imp_path, imp_j, imp_j + 1)
+                if str_eq(imp_c, "/") { let imp_last_slash = imp_j }
+                let imp_j = imp_j + 1
+            }
+            let imp_base: String = str_slice(imp_path, imp_last_slash + 1, imp_path_len)
+            // Strip .el extension if present.
+            let imp_base_len: Int = str_len(imp_base)
+            let imp_bname: String = imp_base
+            if str_ends_with(imp_base, ".el") {
+                let imp_bname = str_slice(imp_base, 0, imp_base_len - 3)
+            }
+            emit_line("#include \"" + imp_bname + ".elh\"")
+        }
+        let imp_i = imp_i + 1
+    }
     emit_blank()
 
-    // Forward declarations (skip `main` — C provides its own)
+    // Forward declarations (skip `main` - C provides its own)
     let n: Int = native_list_len(stmts)
     let i = 0
     while i < n {
@@ -2519,11 +2627,17 @@ fn codegen(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String {
                 emit_line("el_val_t " + fn_name + "(" + params_c + ");")
             }
         }
+        if kind == "ExternFn" {
+            let fn_name: String = stmt["name"]
+            let params = stmt["params"]
+            let params_c: String = params_to_c(params)
+            emit_line("el_val_t " + fn_name + "(" + params_c + ");")
+        }
         let i = i + 1
     }
     emit_blank()
 
-    // Top-level `let` bindings → file-scope storage. El programs use
+    // Top-level `let` bindings -> file-scope storage. El programs use
     // top-level `let GREETING = "..."` as module constants that any
     // function below should be able to read. Without this pass, a top-
     // level Let only declares the name inside main()'s scope and any
@@ -2557,6 +2671,36 @@ fn codegen(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String {
         emit_blank()
     }
 
+    // Detect whether this compilation unit has an entry point.
+    // A unit is a library (no C main emitted) when there is no fn main()
+    // and no top-level executable statements. This supports separate
+    // compilation: library .c files contain only function definitions.
+    let has_el_main = false
+    let has_toplevel_stmts = false
+    let i = 0
+    while i < n {
+        let stmt = native_list_get(stmts, i)
+        let sk: String = stmt["stmt"]
+        if str_eq(sk, "FnDef") {
+            let fn_name_chk: String = stmt["name"]
+            if str_eq(fn_name_chk, "main") { let has_el_main = true }
+        }
+        if !is_fndef(stmt) {
+            if !is_top_level_decl(stmt) {
+                if !str_eq(sk, "Let") {
+                    let has_toplevel_stmts = true
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+    let is_library = false
+    if !has_el_main {
+        if !has_toplevel_stmts {
+            let is_library = true
+        }
+    }
+
     // Function definitions
     let i = 0
     while i < n {
@@ -2567,6 +2711,9 @@ fn codegen(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String {
         let i = i + 1
     }
 
+    // Skip C main() for library units (no fn main, no top-level stmts)
+    if is_library { return "" }
+
     // main(). Use _argc/_argv so El programs are free to declare their own
     // local `argv` / `argc` (compiler.el itself does this) without colliding
     // with the C-side parameters when fn main()'s body is folded in below.
@@ -2638,7 +2785,7 @@ fn codegen(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String {
                 let main_decl = cg_stmt(stmt, "  ", main_decl)
             }
         }
-        // Release AST node after final use — each stmt is fully processed
+        // Release AST node after final use - each stmt is fully processed
         // by this point (forward decls, fn defs, top-level lets, and now
         // the main-body pass are all done). Releasing here prevents the
         // accumulated AST from exhausting memory on large source files.
@@ -2661,16 +2808,16 @@ fn codegen(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String {
 
     // Emit any accumulated capability-violation #error directives. cc
     // will fail on the first one and surface the message; placement at
-    // the bottom is fine — preprocessor errors halt the build wherever
+    // the bottom is fine - preprocessor errors halt the build wherever
     // they appear.
     emit_cap_violations()
     // Same for builtin-arity violations: cc halts on the first #error,
     // so a misuse of a known builtin (wrong arg count) fails the build
     // with a clear message naming the builtin and its expected arity.
     emit_arity_violations()
-    // Temporal-type violations (Instant + Instant, Duration + Int, …).
+    // Temporal-type violations (Instant + Instant, Duration + Int, -).
     emit_time_violations()
 
-    // Return empty string — output was streamed via println
+    // Return empty string - output was streamed via println
     ""
 }

el-compiler/src/compiler.el

@@ -79,6 +79,74 @@ fn strip_flags(argv: [String]) -> [String] {
     return out
 }
 
+// Detect --emit-header flag in argv.
+fn detect_emit_header(argv: [String]) -> Bool {
+    let n: Int = native_list_len(argv)
+    let i = 0
+    while i < n {
+        let a: String = native_list_get(argv, i)
+        if str_eq(a, "--emit-header") { return true }
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+    return false
+}
+
+// Reconstruct an El type annotation string from a parsed type node.
+fn type_node_to_el(t: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
+    let k: String = t["kind"]
+    if str_eq(k, "Simple") { return t["name"] }
+    if str_eq(k, "List") {
+        let inner: String = type_node_to_el(t["inner"])
+        return "[" + inner + "]"
+    }
+    if str_eq(k, "Map") {
+        let kt: String = type_node_to_el(t["key"])
+        let vt: String = type_node_to_el(t["val"])
+        return "Map<" + kt + ", " + vt + ">"
+    }
+    "Any"
+}
+
+// emit_header — write a .elh file from parsed statements.
+// Scans for FnDef nodes and emits 'extern fn' declarations.
+fn emit_header(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], hdr_path: String) -> Void {
+    let n: Int = native_list_len(stmts)
+    let i = 0
+    let parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
+    let parts = native_list_append(parts, "// auto-generated by elc --emit-header — do not edit\n")
+    while i < n {
+        let stmt = native_list_get(stmts, i)
+        let kind: String = stmt["stmt"]
+        if str_eq(kind, "FnDef") {
+            let name: String = stmt["name"]
+            if !str_eq(name, "main") {
+                let params = stmt["params"]
+                let ret_type: String = stmt["ret_type"]
+                // build param list
+                let np: Int = native_list_len(params)
+                let pi = 0
+                let param_parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
+                while pi < np {
+                    let param = native_list_get(params, pi)
+                    let pname: String = param["name"]
+                    let ptype: String = param["type"]
+                    if str_eq(ptype, "") { let ptype = "Any" }
+                    let param_parts = native_list_append(param_parts, pname + ": " + ptype)
+                    let pi = pi + 1
+                }
+                let params_str: String = str_join(param_parts, ", ")
+                let ret_str: String = ret_type
+                if str_eq(ret_str, "") { let ret_str = "Any" }
+                let sig: String = "extern fn " + name + "(" + params_str + ") -> " + ret_str
+                let parts = native_list_append(parts, sig + "\n")
+            }
+        }
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+    let content: String = str_join(parts, "")
+    let ok: Bool = fs_write(hdr_path, content)
+}
+
 // ── Import resolution ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 //
 // elc supports two forms of import:
@@ -135,6 +203,9 @@ fn parse_import_line(trimmed: String, dir: String) -> String {
 // source text with every imported module's body inlined ahead of the entry
 // source, deduplicated by absolute path. Uses state_set to track which paths
 // have already been pulled in for this run.
+//
+// Accumulates chunks into lists and joins once at the end to avoid the O(n²)
+// memory growth caused by repeated `prefix = prefix + chunk` concatenation.
 fn resolve_imports(src_path: String) -> String {
     let seen_key: String = "__elc_imp__:" + src_path
     let already: String = state_get(seen_key)
@@ -146,22 +217,36 @@ fn resolve_imports(src_path: String) -> String {
     let lines: [String] = str_split(source, "\n")
     let n: Int = native_list_len(lines)
 
-    // First pass: pull in every import body ahead of this file's body.
-    let prefix: String = ""
-    let body: String = ""
+    // Collect chunks into lists — O(1) amortized per append.
+    // Join once at the end — O(n) single pass.
+    let prefix_chunks: [String] = native_list_empty()
+    let body_chunks: [String] = native_list_empty()
     let i: Int = 0
     while i < n {
         let line: String = native_list_get(lines, i)
         let trimmed: String = str_trim(line)
         let imp_path: String = parse_import_line(trimmed, dir)
         if !str_eq(imp_path, "") {
-            let prefix = prefix + resolve_imports(imp_path)
+            // Use pre-compiled header if available (separate compilation).
+            // Only check .elh for imported files — never for the entry file itself.
+            let imp_elh_path: String = str_slice(imp_path, 0, str_len(imp_path) - 3) + ".elh"
+            let imp_elh: String = fs_read(imp_elh_path)
+            if !str_eq(imp_elh, "") {
+                // Header exists: mark the .el as seen (so it won't be re-inlined
+                // if something else also imports it) and use the header text.
+                let seen_imp_key: String = "__elc_imp__:" + imp_path
+                state_set(seen_imp_key, "1")
+                let prefix_chunks = native_list_append(prefix_chunks, imp_elh)
+            } else {
+                let imp_body: String = resolve_imports(imp_path)
+                let prefix_chunks = native_list_append(prefix_chunks, imp_body)
+            }
         } else {
-            let body = body + line + "\n"
+            let body_chunks = native_list_append(body_chunks, line + "\n")
         }
         let i = i + 1
     }
-    return prefix + body
+    return str_join(prefix_chunks, "") + str_join(body_chunks, "")
 }
 
 // main — CLI entry point.
@@ -176,13 +261,27 @@ fn main() -> Void {
     // (Section 1.5 of the language spec). detect_target itself is fine
     // because the function-name position has no token-class restriction.
     let tgt: String = detect_target(argv)
+    let do_emit_header: Bool = detect_emit_header(argv)
     let positional: [String] = strip_flags(argv)
     let argc: Int = native_list_len(positional)
     if argc < 1 {
-        println("el-compiler: usage: elc [--target=c|js] <source.el> [<output>]")
+        println("el-compiler: usage: elc [--target=c|js] [--emit-header] <source.el> [<output>]")
         exit(1)
     }
     let src_path: String = native_list_get(positional, 0)
+
+    // When --emit-header is requested, parse the source file directly
+    // (without inlining imports) and write out a .elh file alongside the .c.
+    if do_emit_header {
+        let raw_source: String = fs_read(src_path)
+        let hdr_tokens: [Map<String, Any>] = lex(raw_source)
+        let hdr_stmts: [Map<String, Any>] = parse(hdr_tokens)
+        el_release(hdr_tokens)
+        let hdr_path: String = str_slice(src_path, 0, str_len(src_path) - 3) + ".elh"
+        emit_header(hdr_stmts, hdr_path)
+        el_release(hdr_stmts)
+    }
+
     let source: String = resolve_imports(src_path)
     let out: String = compile_dispatch(tgt, source)
     if argc >= 2 {

el-compiler/src/lexer.el

@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ fn keyword_kind(word: String) -> String {
     if word == "engine" { return "Engine" }
     if word == "accessor" { return "Accessor" }
     if word == "vessel" { return "Vessel" }
+    if word == "extern" { return "Extern" }
     ""
 }
 
@@ -156,7 +157,7 @@ fn keyword_kind(word: String) -> String {
 // Returns { "text": ..., "pos": i }
 fn scan_digits(chars: [String], start: Int, total: Int) -> Map<String, Any> {
     let i = start
-    let text = ""
+    let parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
     let running = true
     while running {
         if i >= total {
@@ -164,20 +165,20 @@ fn scan_digits(chars: [String], start: Int, total: Int) -> Map<String, Any> {
         } else {
             let ch: String = native_list_get(chars, i)
             if lex_is_digit(ch) {
-                let text = text + ch
+                let parts = native_list_append(parts, ch)
                 let i = i + 1
             } else {
                 let running = false
             }
         }
     }
-    { "text": text, "pos": i }
+    { "text": str_join(parts, ""), "pos": i }
 }
 
 // scan_ident — advance i while chars[i] is alphanumeric or underscore
 fn scan_ident(chars: [String], start: Int, total: Int) -> Map<String, Any> {
     let i = start
-    let text = ""
+    let parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
     let running = true
     while running {
         if i >= total {
@@ -185,14 +186,14 @@ fn scan_ident(chars: [String], start: Int, total: Int) -> Map<String, Any> {
         } else {
             let ch: String = native_list_get(chars, i)
             if is_alnum_or_underscore(ch) {
-                let text = text + ch
+                let parts = native_list_append(parts, ch)
                 let i = i + 1
             } else {
                 let running = false
             }
         }
     }
-    { "text": text, "pos": i }
+    { "text": str_join(parts, ""), "pos": i }
 }
 
 // ── Code-bearing string detection + comment strip ────────────────────────────
@@ -253,7 +254,7 @@ fn looks_like_code(s: String) -> Bool {
 fn strip_code_comments(s: String) -> String {
     let chars: [String] = native_string_chars(s)
     let total: Int = native_list_len(chars)
-    let out = ""
+    let out_parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
     let i = 0
     let in_squote = false
     let in_dquote = false
@@ -269,11 +270,11 @@ fn strip_code_comments(s: String) -> String {
         if in_js_string {
             // Backslash escape: consume next char verbatim regardless of which.
             if ch == "\\" {
-                let out = out + ch
+                let out_parts = native_list_append(out_parts, ch)
                 let next_i = i + 1
                 if next_i < total {
                     let nc: String = native_list_get(chars, next_i)
-                    let out = out + nc
+                    let out_parts = native_list_append(out_parts, nc)
                     let prev = nc
                     let i = next_i + 1
                 } else {
@@ -292,7 +293,7 @@ fn strip_code_comments(s: String) -> String {
                         }
                     }
                 }
-                let out = out + ch
+                let out_parts = native_list_append(out_parts, ch)
                 let prev = ch
                 let i = i + 1
             }
@@ -308,7 +309,7 @@ fn strip_code_comments(s: String) -> String {
                 if next_ch == "/" {
                     // URL guard: prev char ':' means this is "://", not a comment.
                     if prev == ":" {
-                        let out = out + ch
+                        let out_parts = native_list_append(out_parts, ch)
                         let prev = ch
                         let i = i + 1
                     } else {
@@ -360,7 +361,7 @@ fn strip_code_comments(s: String) -> String {
                         }
                         let prev = ""
                     } else {
-                        let out = out + ch
+                        let out_parts = native_list_append(out_parts, ch)
                         let prev = ch
                         let i = i + 1
                     }
@@ -369,23 +370,23 @@ fn strip_code_comments(s: String) -> String {
                 // Open a JS string?
                 if ch == "'" {
                     let in_squote = true
-                    let out = out + ch
+                    let out_parts = native_list_append(out_parts, ch)
                     let prev = ch
                     let i = i + 1
                 } else {
                     if ch == "\"" {
                         let in_dquote = true
-                        let out = out + ch
+                        let out_parts = native_list_append(out_parts, ch)
                         let prev = ch
                         let i = i + 1
                     } else {
                         if ch == "`" {
                             let in_btick = true
-                            let out = out + ch
+                            let out_parts = native_list_append(out_parts, ch)
                             let prev = ch
                             let i = i + 1
                         } else {
-                            let out = out + ch
+                            let out_parts = native_list_append(out_parts, ch)
                             let prev = ch
                             let i = i + 1
                         }
@@ -394,14 +395,14 @@ fn strip_code_comments(s: String) -> String {
             }
         }
     }
-    out
+    str_join(out_parts, "")
 }
 
 // scan_string — scan a quoted string literal, handling \" escapes.
 // Starts AFTER the opening quote. Returns { "text": content, "pos": i_after_close }
 fn scan_string(chars: [String], start: Int, total: Int) -> Map<String, Any> {
     let i = start
-    let text = ""
+    let parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
     let running = true
     while running {
         if i >= total {
@@ -414,26 +415,26 @@ fn scan_string(chars: [String], start: Int, total: Int) -> Map<String, Any> {
                 if next_i < total {
                     let next_ch: String = native_list_get(chars, next_i)
                     if next_ch == "\"" {
-                        let text = text + "\""
+                        let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\"")
                         let i = next_i + 1
                     } else {
                         if next_ch == "n" {
-                            let text = text + "\n"
+                            let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\n")
                             let i = next_i + 1
                         } else {
                             if next_ch == "t" {
-                                let text = text + "\t"
+                                let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\t")
                                 let i = next_i + 1
                             } else {
                                 if next_ch == "r" {
-                                    let text = text + "\r"
+                                    let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\r")
                                     let i = next_i + 1
                                 } else {
                                     if next_ch == "\\" {
-                                        let text = text + "\\"
+                                        let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\\")
                                         let i = next_i + 1
                                     } else {
-                                        let text = text + next_ch
+                                        let parts = native_list_append(parts, next_ch)
                                         let i = next_i + 1
                                     }
                                 }
@@ -448,13 +449,13 @@ fn scan_string(chars: [String], start: Int, total: Int) -> Map<String, Any> {
                     let i = i + 1
                     let running = false
                 } else {
-                    let text = text + ch
+                    let parts = native_list_append(parts, ch)
                     let i = i + 1
                 }
             }
         }
     }
-    { "text": text, "pos": i }
+    { "text": str_join(parts, ""), "pos": i }
 }
 
 // ── Main lexer ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

el-compiler/src/parser.el

@@ -687,6 +687,29 @@ fn parse_stmt(tokens: [Map<String, Any>], pos: Int) -> Map<String, Any> {
         return make_result({ "stmt": "Return", "value": val }, p)
     }
 
+    // extern fn declaration (no body — forward declaration for separate compilation)
+    if k == "Extern" {
+        let p = pos + 1
+        let k2: String = tok_kind(tokens, p)
+        if str_eq(k2, "Fn") {
+            let p = p + 1
+            let name: String = tok_value(tokens, p)
+            let p = p + 1
+            let r = parse_params(tokens, p)
+            let params = r["params"]
+            let p = r["pos"]
+            let ret_type = ""
+            let k3: String = tok_kind(tokens, p)
+            if str_eq(k3, "Arrow") {
+                let p = p + 1
+                let kt: String = tok_kind(tokens, p)
+                if str_eq(kt, "Ident") { let ret_type = tok_value(tokens, p) }
+                let p = skip_type(tokens, p)
+            }
+            return make_result({ "stmt": "ExternFn", "name": name, "params": params, "ret_type": ret_type }, p)
+        }
+    }
+
     // fn definition
     if k == "Fn" {
         let p = pos + 1

elb.el

@@ -0,0 +1,379 @@
+// elb.el - El Build Coordinator
+//
+// The build system for El programs. Written in El. Builds El.
+//
+// Usage:
+//   elb                          # build from manifest.el in current dir
+//   elb --clean                  # remove generated artifacts and rebuild
+//   elb --dry-run                # print actions without executing
+//   elb --jobs=N                 # parallel compile jobs (default: 4)
+//   elb --out=DIR                # output directory (default: dist)
+//   elb --runtime=PATH           # path to el_runtime.c
+//
+// How it works (the .NET model):
+//   1. Read manifest.el to find the entry file
+//   2. Walk the import graph depth-first, build topological order
+//   3. For each file: if .el is newer than .elh/.c, compile with elc --emit-header
+//   4. Link all .c files + el_runtime.c into the final binary
+//
+// Each module compiles independently - no 128K-line blobs.
+// Downstream compilations read .elh headers (function signatures only),
+// not source. Incremental: only recompile what changed.
+
+// -- Flags ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+fn flag_bool(argv: [String], name: String) -> Bool {
+    let n: Int = native_list_len(argv)
+    let i = 0
+    while i < n {
+        let a: String = native_list_get(argv, i)
+        if str_eq(a, name) { return true }
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+    return false
+}
+
+fn flag_val(argv: [String], name: String, default_val: String) -> String {
+    let n: Int = native_list_len(argv)
+    let prefix: String = name + "="
+    let i = 0
+    while i < n {
+        let a: String = native_list_get(argv, i)
+        if str_starts_with(a, prefix) {
+            return str_slice(a, str_len(prefix), str_len(a))
+        }
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+    return default_val
+}
+
+// -- Manifest parsing ----------------------------------------------------------
+//
+// Read the entry file from manifest.el:
+//   build { entry "soul.el" }
+
+fn parse_manifest_entry(src: String) -> String {
+    let lines: [String] = str_split(src, "\n")
+    let n: Int = native_list_len(lines)
+    let i = 0
+    while i < n {
+        let line: String = native_list_get(lines, i)
+        let t: String = str_trim(line)
+        if str_starts_with(t, "entry ") {
+            // entry "soul.el"
+            let after: String = str_slice(t, 6, str_len(t))
+            let trimmed: String = str_trim(after)
+            // strip surrounding quotes
+            if str_starts_with(trimmed, "\"") {
+                let inner: String = str_slice(trimmed, 1, str_len(trimmed))
+                let q: Int = str_index_of(inner, "\"")
+                if q >= 0 {
+                    return str_slice(inner, 0, q)
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+    return ""
+}
+
+fn parse_manifest_name(src: String) -> String {
+    let lines: [String] = str_split(src, "\n")
+    let n: Int = native_list_len(lines)
+    let i = 0
+    while i < n {
+        let line: String = native_list_get(lines, i)
+        let t: String = str_trim(line)
+        if str_starts_with(t, "package ") {
+            let after: String = str_slice(t, 8, str_len(t))
+            let trimmed: String = str_trim(after)
+            if str_starts_with(trimmed, "\"") {
+                let inner: String = str_slice(trimmed, 1, str_len(trimmed))
+                let q: Int = str_index_of(inner, "\"")
+                if q >= 0 {
+                    return str_slice(inner, 0, q)
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+    return "out"
+}
+
+// -- Path helpers ---------------------------------------------------------------
+
+fn dirname_of(path: String) -> String {
+    let n: Int = str_len(path)
+    let i: Int = n - 1
+    while i >= 0 {
+        let c: String = str_slice(path, i, i + 1)
+        if str_eq(c, "/") {
+            return str_slice(path, 0, i)
+        }
+        let i = i - 1
+    }
+    return "."
+}
+
+fn basename_noext(path: String) -> String {
+    // strip directory
+    let n: Int = str_len(path)
+    let last_slash: Int = -1
+    let i = 0
+    while i < n {
+        let c: String = str_slice(path, i, i + 1)
+        if str_eq(c, "/") { let last_slash = i }
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+    let base: String = str_slice(path, last_slash + 1, n)
+    // strip .el extension
+    let bn: Int = str_len(base)
+    if str_ends_with(base, ".el") {
+        return str_slice(base, 0, bn - 3)
+    }
+    return base
+}
+
+fn path_with_ext(path: String, ext: String) -> String {
+    let n: Int = str_len(path)
+    if str_ends_with(path, ".el") {
+        return str_slice(path, 0, n - 3) + ext
+    }
+    return path + ext
+}
+
+fn file_is_newer(a: String, b: String) -> Bool {
+    // Returns true if file a is newer than file b, or if b doesn't exist.
+    // Uses exec_capture with stat to compare modification times.
+    let cmd: String = "test -f " + b + " && test " + a + " -nt " + b + " && echo yes || echo no"
+    let result: String = str_trim(exec_capture(cmd))
+    if str_eq(result, "yes") { return true }
+    // b doesn't exist - check with test -f
+    let exist_cmd: String = "test -f " + b + " && echo exists || echo missing"
+    let exist: String = str_trim(exec_capture(exist_cmd))
+    if str_eq(exist, "missing") { return true }
+    return false
+}
+
+// -- Import graph walker --------------------------------------------------------
+//
+// Walk import statements in each .el file to build the dependency graph.
+// Returns a list of absolute paths in topological order (deps before dependents).
+
+fn parse_import_path(line: String, dir: String) -> String {
+    let t: String = str_trim(line)
+    if str_starts_with(t, "import \"") {
+        let after: String = str_slice(t, 8, str_len(t))
+        let q: Int = str_index_of(after, "\"")
+        if q > 0 {
+            let mod: String = str_slice(after, 0, q)
+            return dir + "/" + mod
+        }
+    }
+    if str_starts_with(t, "from ") {
+        let after: String = str_slice(t, 5, str_len(t))
+        let sp: Int = str_index_of(after, " ")
+        if sp > 0 {
+            let mod: String = str_trim(str_slice(after, 0, sp))
+            if !str_eq(mod, "") {
+                return dir + "/" + mod + ".el"
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    return ""
+}
+
+fn walk_imports(src_path: String, visited: [String], order: [String]) -> Map<String, Any> {
+    // Dedup check
+    let n: Int = native_list_len(visited)
+    let i = 0
+    while i < n {
+        let v: String = native_list_get(visited, i)
+        if str_eq(v, src_path) {
+            return { "visited": visited, "order": order }
+        }
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+    let visited = native_list_append(visited, src_path)
+
+    let source: String = fs_read(src_path)
+    if str_eq(source, "") {
+        return { "visited": visited, "order": order }
+    }
+    let dir: String = dirname_of(src_path)
+    let lines: [String] = str_split(source, "\n")
+    let ln: Int = native_list_len(lines)
+    let j = 0
+    while j < ln {
+        let line: String = native_list_get(lines, j)
+        let imp: String = parse_import_path(line, dir)
+        if !str_eq(imp, "") {
+            let r = walk_imports(imp, visited, order)
+            let visited = r["visited"]
+            let order = r["order"]
+        }
+        let j = j + 1
+    }
+    // Add self after all deps
+    let order = native_list_append(order, src_path)
+    return { "visited": visited, "order": order }
+}
+
+// -- Build ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+fn compile_module(src_path: String, out_dir: String, elc_bin: String, dry_run: Bool, verbose: Bool) -> Bool {
+    let bname: String = basename_noext(src_path)
+    let c_out: String = out_dir + "/" + bname + ".c"
+    let elh_out: String = out_dir + "/" + bname + ".elh"
+
+    // Check if recompile needed
+    if !file_is_newer(src_path, c_out) {
+        if verbose {
+            println("  skip  " + bname + ".el  (up to date)")
+        }
+        return true
+    }
+
+    // elc streams C to stdout (collect mode not yet implemented); use
+    // shell redirection so the output lands in the file, not the terminal.
+    let cmd: String = elc_bin + " --emit-header " + src_path + " > " + c_out + " 2>&1"
+    println("  compile  " + src_path)
+
+    if dry_run { return true }
+
+    let ret: Int = exec_command(cmd)
+    if ret != 0 {
+        println("elb: compile failed: " + src_path)
+        return false
+    }
+
+    // Move the generated .elh (written next to the source by elc) into
+    // out_dir so that #include "module.elh" lines in the generated .c
+    // files resolve correctly when cc is invoked with -I <out_dir>.
+    let src_elh: String = path_with_ext(src_path, ".elh")
+    let mv_cmd: String = "cp " + src_elh + " " + elh_out + " 2>/dev/null || true"
+    exec_command(mv_cmd)
+
+    return true
+}
+
+fn link_binary(c_files: [String], out_bin: String, runtime_path: String, out_dir: String, dry_run: Bool) -> Bool {
+    let n: Int = native_list_len(c_files)
+    let parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
+    // Include both the runtime dir (for el_runtime.h) and the output dir
+    // (for module.elh cross-module forward declarations).
+    let parts = native_list_append(parts, "cc -O2 -I " + dirname_of(runtime_path) + " -I " + out_dir)
+    let i = 0
+    while i < n {
+        let f: String = native_list_get(c_files, i)
+        let parts = native_list_append(parts, f)
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+    let parts = native_list_append(parts, runtime_path)
+    let parts = native_list_append(parts, "-lcurl -lpthread")
+    let parts = native_list_append(parts, "-o " + out_bin)
+    let cmd: String = str_join(parts, " ")
+    println("  link     " + out_bin)
+    if dry_run { return true }
+    let ret: Int = exec_command(cmd)
+    if ret != 0 {
+        println("elb: link failed")
+        return false
+    }
+    return true
+}
+
+// -- Main -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+fn main() -> Void {
+    let argv: [String] = args()
+    let clean: Bool   = flag_bool(argv, "--clean")
+    let dry_run: Bool = flag_bool(argv, "--dry-run")
+    let verbose: Bool = flag_bool(argv, "--verbose")
+    let out_dir: String  = flag_val(argv, "--out", "dist")
+    let elc_bin: String  = flag_val(argv, "--elc", "elc")
+    let runtime: String  = flag_val(argv, "--runtime", "")
+
+    // Find manifest
+    let manifest_src: String = fs_read("manifest.el")
+    if str_eq(manifest_src, "") {
+        println("elb: no manifest.el found in current directory")
+        exit(1)
+    }
+
+    let pkg_name: String = parse_manifest_name(manifest_src)
+    let entry: String    = parse_manifest_entry(manifest_src)
+    if str_eq(entry, "") {
+        println("elb: manifest.el has no 'entry' declaration")
+        exit(1)
+    }
+
+    println("elb: building " + pkg_name + " (entry: " + entry + ")")
+
+    // Locate runtime
+    let runtime_path: String = runtime
+    if str_eq(runtime_path, "") {
+        // Try to find el_runtime.c relative to elc binary
+        let which_out: String = str_trim(exec_capture("which " + elc_bin + " 2>/dev/null"))
+        if !str_eq(which_out, "") {
+            let elc_dir: String = dirname_of(which_out)
+            runtime_path = elc_dir + "/../el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.c"
+        }
+    }
+    if str_eq(runtime_path, "") {
+        println("elb: cannot locate el_runtime.c - use --runtime=PATH")
+        exit(1)
+    }
+
+    // Ensure output directory
+    let mkdir_ret: Int = exec_command("mkdir -p " + out_dir)
+
+    // Clean if requested
+    if clean {
+        println("elb: cleaning " + out_dir)
+        if !dry_run {
+            let rm_ret: Int = exec_command("rm -f " + out_dir + "/*.c " + out_dir + "/*.elh")
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Walk import graph from entry file
+    let empty_visited: [String] = native_list_empty()
+    let empty_order: [String]   = native_list_empty()
+    let r = walk_imports(entry, empty_visited, empty_order)
+    let order: [String] = r["order"]
+    let total: Int = native_list_len(order)
+    println("elb: " + native_int_to_str(total) + " modules in build graph")
+
+    // Compile each module
+    let c_files: [String] = native_list_empty()
+    let i = 0
+    let ok = true
+    while i < total {
+        let src: String = native_list_get(order, i)
+        let bname: String = basename_noext(src)
+        let c_out: String = out_dir + "/" + bname + ".c"
+        let compiled: Bool = compile_module(src, out_dir, elc_bin, dry_run, verbose)
+        if !compiled {
+            let ok = false
+            let i = total
+        } else {
+            let c_files = native_list_append(c_files, c_out)
+        }
+        let i = i + 1
+    }
+
+    if !ok {
+        println("elb: build failed")
+        exit(1)
+    }
+
+    // Link
+    let out_bin: String = out_dir + "/" + pkg_name
+    let linked: Bool = link_binary(c_files, out_bin, runtime_path, out_dir, dry_run)
+    if !linked {
+        println("elb: link failed")
+        exit(1)
+    }
+
+    println("elb: done -> " + out_bin)
+}

install.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# install.sh — Install the El SDK from the latest Gitea release.
+#
+# Usage:
+#   bash install.sh
+#   EL_VERSION=v1.0.0   bash install.sh     # pin a specific release tag
+#   EL_PREFIX=/opt/el   bash install.sh     # custom install prefix
+#
+# Environment variables:
+#   EL_VERSION   Release tag to download (default: latest)
+#   EL_PREFIX    Install prefix           (default: /usr/local)
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+REPO_BASE="https://git.neuralplatform.ai/neuron-technologies/el"
+VERSION="${EL_VERSION:-latest}"
+PREFIX="${EL_PREFIX:-/usr/local}"
+
+BIN_DIR="${PREFIX}/bin"
+LIB_DIR="${PREFIX}/lib/el"
+
+RELEASE_BASE="${REPO_BASE}/releases/download/${VERSION}"
+
+echo "==> Installing El SDK ${VERSION}"
+echo "    prefix : ${PREFIX}"
+echo "    bin    : ${BIN_DIR}"
+echo "    lib    : ${LIB_DIR}"
+echo
+
+# Create directories
+mkdir -p "${BIN_DIR}" "${LIB_DIR}"
+
+# Download helper
+download() {
+    local url="$1"
+    local dest="$2"
+    echo "    Downloading $(basename "${dest}")..."
+    if command -v curl >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        curl -fsSL "${url}" -o "${dest}"
+    elif command -v wget >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        wget -q "${url}" -O "${dest}"
+    else
+        echo "Error: neither curl nor wget found" >&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+# Download assets
+TMP_DIR="$(mktemp -d)"
+trap 'rm -rf "${TMP_DIR}"' EXIT
+
+download "${RELEASE_BASE}/elc"          "${TMP_DIR}/elc"
+download "${RELEASE_BASE}/el_runtime.c" "${TMP_DIR}/el_runtime.c"
+download "${RELEASE_BASE}/el_runtime.h" "${TMP_DIR}/el_runtime.h"
+
+# Install
+install -m 755 "${TMP_DIR}/elc"          "${BIN_DIR}/elc"
+install -m 644 "${TMP_DIR}/el_runtime.c" "${LIB_DIR}/el_runtime.c"
+install -m 644 "${TMP_DIR}/el_runtime.h" "${LIB_DIR}/el_runtime.h"
+
+echo
+echo "==> El SDK installed successfully"
+echo
+echo "    elc binary : ${BIN_DIR}/elc"
+echo "    runtime    : ${LIB_DIR}/el_runtime.c"
+echo "    header     : ${LIB_DIR}/el_runtime.h"
+echo
+echo "Add the following to your Makefile to build El programs:"
+echo
+echo "    EL_LIB := ${LIB_DIR}"
+echo "    ELC    := elc"
+echo "    CC     := cc"
+echo "    CFLAGS := -std=c11 -O2 -I\$(EL_LIB)"
+echo
+echo "    dist/myapp.c: src/myapp.el"
+echo "    \t\$(ELC) src/myapp.el > dist/myapp.c"
+echo
+echo "    dist/myapp: dist/myapp.c"
+echo "    \t\$(CC) \$(CFLAGS) -o dist/myapp dist/myapp.c \$(EL_LIB)/el_runtime.c -lcurl -lpthread"
+echo

releases/v1.0.0-20260501/RELEASE.md

@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+# El Compiler Release v1.0.0 — 2026-05-02
+
+## Components
+- `bootstrap.py` — El language compiler (Python, recursive descent parser, emits C)
+- `el_runtime.c` — El runtime (C, HTTP server, engram, DHARMA, LLM chain)
+- `el_runtime.h` — Runtime public API header
+
+## Changes in this release
+
+### Critical bug fixes
+- `state_set`/`state_get` are now thread-safe (pthread_mutex). Was racing across 64 worker threads.
+- `looks_like_string` threshold raised from 1,000,000 to 4GB. Unix timestamps were being dereferenced as heap pointers.
+- `fs_read` guards against negative `ftell` result (pipe/special file overflow).
+
+### Engram architecture (major)
+- Two-layer activation: `background_activation` (Layer 1, broad fan-out) + `working_memory_weight` (Layer 2, executive filter)
+- Inhibitory edges: `EngramEdge.inhibitory` flag suppresses working memory promotion without affecting background activation
+- Suppression memory: `suppression_count` — nodes activated-but-suppressed accumulate pressure toward breakthrough
+- Temporal decay: `temporal_decay_rate`, `created_at`, `last_activated_at`, `activation_count` on EngramNode
+- Per-type activation thresholds (Safety: 0.05, Canonical: 0.15, Lesson: 0.25, Note: 0.40)
+- Temporal range query: `engram_query_range(start_ms, end_ms)`
+- Layered consciousness: `EngramLayer` struct, `layer_id` on nodes and edges, `EngramStore.layers[]`
+- Layer 0 override pass: safety layer fires last and cannot be suppressed
+
+## SHA256
+bootstrap.py
+el_runtime.c
+el_runtime.h

releases/v1.0.0-20260501/el_runtime.h

@@ -0,0 +1,507 @@
+/*
+ * el_runtime.h — El language C runtime header
+ *
+ * Declares all built-in functions available to compiled El programs.
+ * Include this in every generated .c file.
+ *
+ * Value model:
+ *   All El values are represented as el_val_t (= int64_t).
+ *   On 64-bit systems a pointer fits in int64_t.
+ *   String values are cast: (el_val_t)(uintptr_t)"hello"
+ *   Integer values are stored directly.
+ *   This lets arithmetic work naturally while still passing strings around.
+ *
+ * Type conventions (El -> C):
+ *   String  -> el_val_t  (holds const char* via uintptr_t cast)
+ *   Int     -> el_val_t
+ *   Bool    -> el_val_t  (0 = false, nonzero = true)
+ *   Any     -> el_val_t
+ *   Void    -> void
+ *
+ * Macros for convenience:
+ *   EL_STR(s)    cast string literal to el_val_t
+ *   EL_CSTR(v)   cast el_val_t back to const char*
+ *   EL_INT(v)    identity — el_val_t is already int64_t
+ *
+ * Link requirements:
+ *   -lcurl     — required for the HTTP client (http_get, http_post, llm_*).
+ *   -lpthread  — required for the HTTP server (one detached thread per
+ *                connection, capped at 64 concurrent).
+ *   -loqs      — optional; required only when liboqs is installed and the
+ *                pq_* / sha3_256_hex entry points are needed. Detected at
+ *                compile time via __has_include(<oqs/oqs.h>).
+ *   -lcrypto   — optional; pulled in alongside -loqs. Used for X25519 in
+ *                pq_hybrid_* and HKDF-SHA256 derivation.
+ *
+ * Canonical compile command:
+ *   cc -std=c11 -I el-compiler/runtime -lcurl -lpthread \
+ *      -o <out> <prog>.c el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.c
+ *
+ * With liboqs (post-quantum stack):
+ *   cc -std=c11 -I el-compiler/runtime -lcurl -lpthread -loqs -lcrypto \
+ *      -o <out> <prog>.c el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.c
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+typedef int64_t el_val_t;
+
+#define EL_STR(s)  ((el_val_t)(uintptr_t)(s))
+#define EL_CSTR(v) ((const char*)(uintptr_t)(v))
+#define EL_INT(v)  (v)
+#define EL_NULL    ((el_val_t)0)
+
+/* Float values share the el_val_t (int64) slot via a bit-cast.
+ * The codegen emits Float literals as `el_from_float(<dbl>)` so the
+ * underlying bits represent the IEEE 754 double. Float-aware builtins
+ * (math, format, json) round-trip via these helpers. */
+static inline double el_to_float(el_val_t v) {
+    union { int64_t i; double f; } u;
+    u.i = (int64_t)v;
+    return u.f;
+}
+
+static inline el_val_t el_from_float(double f) {
+    union { double f; int64_t i; } u;
+    u.f = f;
+    return (el_val_t)u.i;
+}
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+/* ── I/O ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+void      println(el_val_t s);
+void      print(el_val_t s);
+el_val_t  readline(void);
+
+/* ── String builtins ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+el_val_t  el_str_concat(el_val_t a, el_val_t b);
+el_val_t  str_eq(el_val_t a, el_val_t b);
+el_val_t  str_starts_with(el_val_t s, el_val_t prefix);
+el_val_t  str_ends_with(el_val_t s, el_val_t suffix);
+el_val_t  str_len(el_val_t s);
+el_val_t  str_concat(el_val_t a, el_val_t b);
+el_val_t  int_to_str(el_val_t n);
+el_val_t  str_to_int(el_val_t s);
+el_val_t  str_slice(el_val_t s, el_val_t start, el_val_t end);
+el_val_t  str_contains(el_val_t s, el_val_t sub);
+el_val_t  str_replace(el_val_t s, el_val_t from, el_val_t to);
+el_val_t  str_to_upper(el_val_t s);
+el_val_t  str_to_lower(el_val_t s);
+el_val_t  str_trim(el_val_t s);
+
+/* ── Math ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+el_val_t  el_abs(el_val_t n);
+el_val_t  el_max(el_val_t a, el_val_t b);
+el_val_t  el_min(el_val_t a, el_val_t b);
+
+/* ── Refcount (ARC) ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+ * Lists and Maps carry a refcount. Strings and ints do not — el_retain and
+ * el_release are safe no-ops on non-refcounted values (they sniff a magic
+ * header at offset 0 and only act if the magic matches).
+ *
+ * Codegen emits these at let-binding shadowing, function entry (params), and
+ * function exit (locals other than the returned value). The refcount lets
+ * el_list_append and el_map_set mutate in place when uniquely owned (cheap)
+ * and copy-on-write when shared (preserves persistent semantics across
+ * accumulator patterns in the compiler itself).                              */
+
+void      el_retain(el_val_t v);
+void      el_release(el_val_t v);
+
+/* ── List ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+el_val_t  el_list_new(el_val_t count, ...);
+el_val_t  el_list_len(el_val_t list);
+el_val_t  el_list_get(el_val_t list, el_val_t index);
+el_val_t  el_list_append(el_val_t list, el_val_t elem);
+el_val_t  el_list_empty(void);
+el_val_t  el_list_clone(el_val_t list);
+
+/* ── Map ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+el_val_t  el_map_new(el_val_t pair_count, ...);
+el_val_t  el_get_field(el_val_t map, el_val_t key);
+el_val_t  el_map_get(el_val_t map, el_val_t key);
+el_val_t  el_map_set(el_val_t map, el_val_t key, el_val_t value);
+
+/* ── HTTP ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+el_val_t  http_get(el_val_t url);
+el_val_t  http_post(el_val_t url, el_val_t body);
+el_val_t  http_post_json(el_val_t url, el_val_t json_body);
+el_val_t  http_get_with_headers(el_val_t url, el_val_t headers_map);
+el_val_t  http_post_with_headers(el_val_t url, el_val_t body, el_val_t headers_map);
+el_val_t  http_post_form_auth(el_val_t url, el_val_t form_body, el_val_t auth_header);
+el_val_t  http_delete(el_val_t url);
+void      http_serve(el_val_t port, el_val_t handler);
+void      http_set_handler(el_val_t name);
+
+/* HTTP server v2 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+ * Same dispatch model as http_serve, but the handler signature is widened:
+ *
+ *     el_val_t handler(method, path, headers_map, body)
+ *
+ * `headers_map` is an ElMap from lowercased header name → header value (both
+ * Strings). Repeated headers are joined with ", " per RFC 7230.
+ *
+ * Response value: the handler may return either
+ *   (a) a plain body string — same auto-content-type / 200-OK behaviour as
+ *       http_serve (3-arg) — or
+ *   (b) a response envelope built with `http_response(status, headers_json,
+ *       body)`. The runtime detects the envelope discriminator
+ *       `"el_http_response":1` at the start of the returned string and
+ *       unpacks status / headers / body before sending.
+ *
+ * The 3-arg http_serve(port, handler) remains supported unchanged for
+ * existing handlers (e.g. products/web/server.el): it dispatches with
+ * (method, path, body), hardcodes 200 OK, and auto-detects content type. */
+void      http_serve_v2(el_val_t port, el_val_t handler);
+void      http_set_handler_v2(el_val_t name);
+
+/* Build an HTTP response envelope. `headers_json` should be a JSON object
+ * literal like `{"WWW-Authenticate":"Basic"}` (or "" / "{}" for none). The
+ * returned string carries the discriminator `{"el_http_response":1,...}`
+ * which the runtime's send-path detects and unpacks. Detection happens
+ * uniformly inside http_send_response, so a 3-arg handler may also return
+ * an envelope. The 3-arg variant remains documented as a fixed 200-OK
+ * auto-content-type contract for legacy handlers that return plain bodies. */
+el_val_t  http_response(el_val_t status, el_val_t headers_json, el_val_t body);
+
+/* HTTP timeout — every libcurl request honors EL_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS (default
+ * 60000ms). Read lazily on first use, so setting the env var any time before
+ * the first http_* call is sufficient.                                    */
+
+/* Streaming variants — write the response body straight to a file via
+ * libcurl's CURLOPT_WRITEFUNCTION = fwrite. These bypass the el_val_t string
+ * wrapper entirely, so binary payloads (audio/mpeg, image/png, etc.) survive
+ * embedded NUL bytes that would truncate a strlen()-based code path.
+ *
+ * Both honor EL_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS, follow redirects, and accept the same
+ * `headers_map` shape as http_post_with_headers (ElMap of String→String).
+ *
+ * Return value: 1 on success (file fully written), 0 on any failure
+ * (network, file open, partial write). On failure the output file is removed
+ * so callers cannot mistake a partially-written file for a valid one. */
+el_val_t  http_post_to_file(el_val_t url, el_val_t body, el_val_t headers_map, el_val_t output_path);
+el_val_t  http_get_to_file(el_val_t url, el_val_t headers_map, el_val_t output_path);
+
+/* ── URL encoding ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+el_val_t  url_encode(el_val_t s);   /* RFC 3986 unreserved set */
+el_val_t  url_decode(el_val_t s);   /* '+' → space, %XX → byte  */
+
+/* ── Filesystem ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+el_val_t  fs_read(el_val_t path);
+el_val_t  fs_write(el_val_t path, el_val_t content);
+el_val_t  fs_list(el_val_t path);
+el_val_t  fs_exists(el_val_t path);
+el_val_t  fs_mkdir(el_val_t path);   /* mkdir -p, mode 0755                */
+
+/* Length-explicit binary write. `length` is an Int (el_val_t holding the
+ * byte count). The caller knows the length from context — typically because
+ * `bytes` came from base64_decode (which produces a magic-tagged binary
+ * buffer with embedded NULs possible) and the caller already tracks the
+ * decoded length, OR because the bytes came from a fixed-size source
+ * (sha256_bytes = 32, hmac_sha256_bytes = 32). Bypasses strlen entirely.
+ *
+ * Returns 1 on success, 0 on failure (invalid path, can't open, partial
+ * write, negative length). On partial-write failure, the file is removed
+ * so callers cannot read back a truncated artefact. */
+el_val_t  fs_write_bytes(el_val_t path, el_val_t bytes, el_val_t length);
+
+/* ── JSON ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+el_val_t  json_get(el_val_t json, el_val_t key);
+el_val_t  json_parse(el_val_t s);
+el_val_t  json_stringify(el_val_t v);
+el_val_t  json_get_string(el_val_t json_str, el_val_t key);
+el_val_t  json_get_int(el_val_t json_str, el_val_t key);
+el_val_t  json_get_float(el_val_t json_str, el_val_t key);
+el_val_t  json_get_bool(el_val_t json_str, el_val_t key);
+el_val_t  json_get_raw(el_val_t json_str, el_val_t key);
+el_val_t  json_set(el_val_t json_str, el_val_t key, el_val_t value);
+el_val_t  json_array_len(el_val_t json_str);
+el_val_t  json_array_get(el_val_t json_str, el_val_t index);
+el_val_t  json_array_get_string(el_val_t json_str, el_val_t index);
+
+/* ── Time ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+el_val_t  time_now(void);
+el_val_t  time_now_utc(void);
+el_val_t  sleep_secs(el_val_t secs);
+el_val_t  sleep_ms(el_val_t ms);
+el_val_t  time_format(el_val_t ts, el_val_t fmt);
+el_val_t  time_to_parts(el_val_t ts);
+el_val_t  time_from_parts(el_val_t secs, el_val_t ns, el_val_t tz);
+el_val_t  time_add(el_val_t ts, el_val_t n, el_val_t unit);
+el_val_t  time_diff(el_val_t ts1, el_val_t ts2, el_val_t unit);
+
+/* ── UUID ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+el_val_t  uuid_new(void);
+el_val_t  uuid_v4(void);
+
+/* ── Environment ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+el_val_t  env(el_val_t key);
+
+/* ── In-process state K/V ────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+el_val_t  state_set(el_val_t key, el_val_t value);
+el_val_t  state_get(el_val_t key);
+el_val_t  state_del(el_val_t key);
+el_val_t  state_keys(void);
+
+/* ── Float formatting ────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+el_val_t  float_to_str(el_val_t f);
+el_val_t  int_to_float(el_val_t n);
+el_val_t  float_to_int(el_val_t f);
+el_val_t  format_float(el_val_t f, el_val_t decimals);
+el_val_t  decimal_round(el_val_t f, el_val_t decimals);
+el_val_t  str_to_float(el_val_t s);
+
+/* ── Math (Float-aware) ──────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+el_val_t  math_sqrt(el_val_t f);
+el_val_t  math_log(el_val_t f);
+el_val_t  math_ln(el_val_t f);
+el_val_t  math_sin(el_val_t f);
+el_val_t  math_cos(el_val_t f);
+el_val_t  math_pi(void);
+
+/* ── String additions ────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+el_val_t  str_index_of(el_val_t s, el_val_t sub);
+el_val_t  str_split(el_val_t s, el_val_t sep);
+el_val_t  str_char_at(el_val_t s, el_val_t i);
+el_val_t  str_char_code(el_val_t s, el_val_t i);
+el_val_t  str_pad_left(el_val_t s, el_val_t width, el_val_t pad);
+el_val_t  str_pad_right(el_val_t s, el_val_t width, el_val_t pad);
+el_val_t  str_format(el_val_t template, el_val_t data);
+el_val_t  str_lower(el_val_t s);
+el_val_t  str_upper(el_val_t s);
+
+/* ── List additions ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+el_val_t  list_push(el_val_t list, el_val_t elem);
+el_val_t  list_push_front(el_val_t list, el_val_t elem);
+el_val_t  list_join(el_val_t list, el_val_t sep);
+el_val_t  list_range(el_val_t start, el_val_t end);
+
+/* ── Bool helpers ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+el_val_t  bool_to_str(el_val_t b);
+
+/* ── Numeric parsing ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+el_val_t  parse_int(el_val_t s, el_val_t default_val);
+
+/* ── Process ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+void      exit_program(el_val_t code);
+el_val_t  getpid_now(void);
+
+/* ── CGI identity ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+ * Called at the start of main() in CGI programs (those with a `cgi {}` block).
+ * Records the program's DHARMA identity before any other code executes.      */
+
+void      el_cgi_init(el_val_t name, el_val_t dharma_id, el_val_t principal,
+                      el_val_t network, el_val_t engram);
+
+/* ── DHARMA network builtins ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+ * Available to CGI programs (declared with a `cgi {}` block).
+ *
+ * Peers are addressed by `dharma_id` of the form
+ *     "<registry-id>@<transport-url>"   e.g. "ntn-genesis@http://localhost:7770"
+ * If the @<url> portion is omitted, transport defaults to
+ * "http://localhost:7770" (the local CGI daemon assumption).
+ *
+ * Wire protocol (all peers expose):
+ *   POST <url>/dharma/recv      { channel, from, content } → response body
+ *   POST <url>/dharma/event     { type, payload, source, timestamp }
+ *   POST <url>/api/activate     { query }                 → list of nodes
+ *
+ * Hosting application's responsibility: an El program with a `cgi {}` block
+ * runs http_serve() with its own request handler; that handler should route
+ * "/dharma/event" requests by calling el_runtime_dharma_event_arrive() so
+ * incoming events feed dharma_field() queues. The runtime itself does not
+ * intercept any /dharma path.                                                */
+
+el_val_t  dharma_connect(el_val_t cgi_id);
+el_val_t  dharma_send(el_val_t channel, el_val_t content);
+el_val_t  dharma_activate(el_val_t query);
+void      dharma_emit(el_val_t event_type, el_val_t payload);
+el_val_t  dharma_field(el_val_t event_type);
+void      dharma_strengthen(el_val_t cgi_id, el_val_t weight);
+el_val_t  dharma_relationship(el_val_t cgi_id);
+el_val_t  dharma_peers(void);
+
+/* Public C API: called by an El program's HTTP handler when a /dharma/event
+ * request arrives. Pushes onto the per-event-type queue and signals any
+ * pending dharma_field() blockers. All three arguments must be NUL-terminated
+ * C strings (or NULL — then treated as empty).                               */
+void      el_runtime_dharma_event_arrive(const char* event_type,
+                                         const char* payload,
+                                         const char* source);
+
+/* ── Engram local graph primitives ───────────────────────────────────────────
+ * Operate on the CGI's local Engram knowledge graph.
+ * `engram_activate` queries the local graph only; `dharma_activate` is
+ * network-wide across all connected CGI graphs.                              */
+
+el_val_t  engram_node(el_val_t content, el_val_t node_type, el_val_t salience);
+el_val_t  engram_node_full(el_val_t content, el_val_t node_type, el_val_t label,
+                           el_val_t salience, el_val_t importance, el_val_t confidence,
+                           el_val_t tier, el_val_t tags);
+el_val_t  engram_get_node(el_val_t id);
+void      engram_strengthen(el_val_t node_id);
+void      engram_forget(el_val_t node_id);
+el_val_t  engram_node_count(void);
+el_val_t  engram_search(el_val_t query, el_val_t limit);
+el_val_t  engram_scan_nodes(el_val_t limit, el_val_t offset);
+void      engram_connect(el_val_t from_id, el_val_t to_id, el_val_t weight, el_val_t relation);
+el_val_t  engram_edge_between(el_val_t from_id, el_val_t to_id);
+el_val_t  engram_neighbors(el_val_t node_id);
+el_val_t  engram_neighbors_filtered(el_val_t node_id, el_val_t max_depth, el_val_t direction);
+el_val_t  engram_edge_count(void);
+el_val_t  engram_activate(el_val_t query, el_val_t depth);
+el_val_t  engram_save(el_val_t path);
+el_val_t  engram_load(el_val_t path);
+
+/* JSON-string accessors — return pre-serialized JSON so HTTP handlers
+ * can pass results straight through without round-tripping ElList/ElMap
+ * through json_stringify. */
+el_val_t  engram_get_node_json(el_val_t id);
+el_val_t  engram_search_json(el_val_t query, el_val_t limit);
+el_val_t  engram_scan_nodes_json(el_val_t limit, el_val_t offset);
+el_val_t  engram_neighbors_json(el_val_t node_id, el_val_t max_depth, el_val_t direction);
+el_val_t  engram_activate_json(el_val_t query, el_val_t depth);
+el_val_t  engram_stats_json(void);
+
+/* ── LLM (Anthropic API client) ─────────────────────────────────────────────
+ * All functions call https://api.anthropic.com/v1/messages with the API key
+ * from env ANTHROPIC_API_KEY. Default model when empty: claude-sonnet-4-5. */
+
+el_val_t  llm_call(el_val_t model, el_val_t prompt);
+el_val_t  llm_call_system(el_val_t model, el_val_t system_prompt, el_val_t user_prompt);
+el_val_t  llm_call_agentic(el_val_t model, el_val_t system, el_val_t user, el_val_t tools);
+el_val_t  llm_vision(el_val_t model, el_val_t system, el_val_t prompt, el_val_t image_url_or_b64);
+el_val_t  llm_models(void);
+
+/* Register a tool handler by name. The handler is looked up via dlsym
+ * (mirroring http_set_handler), so any El `fn <name>(input)` compiles to
+ * a global C symbol that this function can locate at runtime.
+ * Handler signature: `el_val_t handler(el_val_t input_json)` — receives
+ * the tool input as a JSON-string el_val_t and returns a JSON-string
+ * el_val_t result. Used by llm_call_agentic.                                 */
+void      llm_register_tool(el_val_t name, el_val_t handler_fn_name);
+
+/* ── args() ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+ * Provides access to command-line arguments passed to the program.
+ * Populated by el_runtime_init_args() before main() runs.           */
+
+el_val_t  args(void);
+void      el_runtime_init_args(int argc, char** argv);
+
+/* ── Crypto primitives ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+ * SHA-256, HMAC-SHA-256, and base64 (standard + URL-safe).
+ * Self-contained — no OpenSSL/libcrypto dependency. The implementations are
+ * adapted from public-domain reference code (Brad Conte / RFC 4648).
+ *
+ * Bytes-returning variants (sha256_bytes, hmac_sha256_bytes) return a string
+ * value whose contents are raw binary; callers usually feed these into
+ * base64_encode. Note that el_val_t strings are NUL-terminated by convention,
+ * so the binary payload may contain embedded NULs — pass it directly into
+ * base64_encode (which uses an explicit length) rather than treating it as
+ * a printable C string.
+ *
+ * The "base64" variants emit/accept RFC 4648 standard alphabet with padding.
+ * The "base64url" variants use URL-safe alphabet (`-`/`_`) with no padding,
+ * as used in JWTs.                                                           */
+
+el_val_t  sha256_hex(el_val_t input);
+el_val_t  sha256_bytes(el_val_t input);
+el_val_t  hmac_sha256_hex(el_val_t key, el_val_t message);
+el_val_t  hmac_sha256_bytes(el_val_t key, el_val_t message);
+el_val_t  base64_encode(el_val_t input);
+el_val_t  base64_decode(el_val_t input);
+el_val_t  base64url_encode(el_val_t input);
+el_val_t  base64url_decode(el_val_t input);
+
+/* Length-aware variants (internal — exposed for the rare caller that already
+ * has a known-length binary buffer and doesn't want to round-trip through
+ * a NUL-terminated el_val_t string). Sha256_bytes and hmac_sha256_bytes feed
+ * these implicitly. */
+el_val_t  el_sha256_bytes_n(const unsigned char* data, size_t len);
+el_val_t  el_base64_encode_n(const unsigned char* data, size_t len, int url_safe);
+
+/* ── Post-quantum primitives (liboqs-backed) ────────────────────────────────
+ * All inputs/outputs hex-encoded. Algorithm choices:
+ *   Signature: CRYSTALS-Dilithium-3   (NIST level 3, balanced)
+ *   KEM:       CRYSTALS-Kyber-768     (NIST level 3)
+ *   Hash:      SHA3-256 (Keccak)      (PQ-aware protocols favour SHA3 over SHA2)
+ *
+ * If liboqs is not linked (detected via __has_include(<oqs/oqs.h>) at compile
+ * time), the pq_* entry points return a JSON-shaped error string so callers
+ * fail loudly rather than silently fall back to classical schemes:
+ *   {"error":"liboqs not linked, post-quantum primitives unavailable"}
+ *
+ * The hybrid handshake pairs X25519 with Kyber-768 per NIST PQ guidance and
+ * CNSA 2.0. Combined shared secret is HKDF-SHA256(x25519_ss || kyber_ss).
+ * Even if Kyber falls, X25519 holds; if X25519 falls under quantum attack,
+ * Kyber holds. SHA3-256 also remains usable independent of liboqs (the
+ * Keccak permutation is PQ-OK as a primitive). */
+
+el_val_t  pq_keygen_signature(void);
+el_val_t  pq_sign(el_val_t secret_key_hex, el_val_t message);
+el_val_t  pq_verify(el_val_t public_key_hex, el_val_t message, el_val_t signature_hex);
+
+el_val_t  pq_kem_keygen(void);
+el_val_t  pq_kem_encaps(el_val_t public_key_hex);
+el_val_t  pq_kem_decaps(el_val_t secret_key_hex, el_val_t ciphertext_hex);
+
+el_val_t  pq_hybrid_keygen(void);
+el_val_t  pq_hybrid_handshake(el_val_t remote_pub_combined);
+
+el_val_t  sha3_256_hex(el_val_t input);
+
+/* ── Native VM builtin aliases (for compiled El source) ─────────────────────
+ * These match the El VM's native_* builtins so that El source compiled
+ * to C can call the same names without modification.                */
+
+el_val_t  native_list_get(el_val_t list, el_val_t index);
+el_val_t  native_list_len(el_val_t list);
+el_val_t  native_list_append(el_val_t list, el_val_t elem);
+el_val_t  native_list_empty(void);
+el_val_t  native_list_clone(el_val_t list);
+el_val_t  native_string_chars(el_val_t s);
+el_val_t  native_int_to_str(el_val_t n);
+
+/* ── Method-call shorthand aliases ──────────────────────────────────────────
+ * The El method-call convention `obj.method(args)` compiles to
+ * `method(obj, args)`.  These aliases expose the runtime functions under
+ * the short names that result from method calls in El source.
+ *
+ * Example: `myList.append(x)` → `append(myList, x)` (calls this alias)
+ *          `myList.len()`     → `len(myList)`         (calls this alias)  */
+
+el_val_t  append(el_val_t list, el_val_t elem);   /* el_list_append */
+el_val_t  len(el_val_t list);                      /* el_list_len    */
+el_val_t  get(el_val_t list, el_val_t index);      /* el_list_get    */
+el_val_t  map_get(el_val_t map, el_val_t key);     /* el_map_get     */
+el_val_t  map_set(el_val_t map, el_val_t key, el_val_t value); /* el_map_set */
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif

spec/codegen-js.md

@@ -0,0 +1,236 @@
+# El JavaScript Backend (codegen-js)
+
+**Status:** scaffolded. Hello-world compiles and runs. ~50% language coverage. Core runtime (~30 builtins) implemented. CGI / DHARMA / LLM / Engram intentionally stubbed.
+
+**Authoritative files**
+
+| File | Role |
+|---|---|
+| `el-compiler/src/codegen-js.el` | El → JS code generator (mirrors `codegen.el`) |
+| `el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.js` | Browser/Node runtime that compiled programs link against |
+| `el-compiler/src/compiler.el` | Adds `compile_js()` and `--target=js` CLI dispatch |
+| `spec/codegen-js.md` | This document |
+
+---
+
+## 1. Why a JS backend exists
+
+El compiles to C today. C is the right substrate for the agent runtime, the DHARMA daemon, and Engram. But three first-class consumers of El need to **run in a browser**, where C is not an option:
+
+1. **`el-ui/runtime/`** — the activation-based frontend framework written in JS. The long-term plan is to author components and the runtime itself in El and compile them down to JS.
+2. **`cgi-studio`** — the web app for cultivating CGIs. Today it is hand-written JS. Once the JS backend is mature, the studio's UI logic can be authored in El and share types/identifier names with the CGI it cultivates.
+3. **Marketplace plugin UIs** — third parties writing browser-side El that runs untrusted in a sandbox. They need a JS target.
+
+A secondary motivation: **El-on-Node**. CLI tooling, build scripts, and tests benefit from a tight `el → js → node` cycle without a `cc` step.
+
+---
+
+## 2. Type representation strategy
+
+The C backend pretends every value is `int64_t`. That is a deliberate runtime trick to avoid dynamic dispatch in generated C. JavaScript already has tagged dynamic values, so the JS backend is **simpler**: every El value is a native JS value, and the tag of `el_val_t` collapses into the JS type system.
+
+| El type | C representation | JS representation |
+|---|---|---|
+| `Int` | `int64_t` (direct) | `number` (with `Number.isSafeInteger` caveat — see §6) |
+| `Float` | `int64_t` bit-cast of `double` via `el_from_float` | `number` (no bit-cast — JS number IS a double) |
+| `Bool` | `int64_t`, 0 = false, nonzero = true | `boolean` |
+| `String` | `(int64_t)(uintptr_t)cstring` | `string` |
+| `Void` | C `void` | `undefined` |
+| `[T]` (List) | `el_val_t` pointer to refcounted struct | `Array<any>` |
+| `Map<K,V>` | `el_val_t` pointer to refcounted struct | plain object `{[key]: any}` |
+| `EL_NULL` (`0`) | `(el_val_t)0` | `null` |
+| Any | `el_val_t` | `any` (no compile-time check) |
+
+**Key consequences:**
+
+- `+` on two strings is JS `+` (string concat) — no `el_str_concat()` runtime call needed for the common case. The runtime DOES export `el_str_concat` for the cases where codegen does not know the types.
+- `==` on strings is `===` — not `str_eq()`. Same disambiguation logic as the C backend (look at left/right kind, fall back to `str_eq` for identifiers without int annotation).
+- `Map` access `m["foo"]` compiles to JS `m["foo"]` (no `el_get_field`). For `Field` access (`m.foo`) we emit `m["foo"]` so it works on plain objects regardless of prototype shape.
+- List access `arr[i]` is JS `arr[i]`. No bounds checking — same as C (which segfaults on bad index). Could add `el_list_get` wrapper later for safe access.
+- `EL_NULL` becomes JS `null`, not `undefined`. The runtime checks for `=== null` consistently. This avoids the JS undefined/null fork and matches El's single null value.
+
+---
+
+## 3. Builtin runtime layer (`el_runtime.js`)
+
+Same function names as `el_runtime.c` wherever possible, so codegen-js can emit the same call sites. The runtime is a single ES module that exposes every builtin as a named export AND attaches them to a `globalThis.__el` namespace (so generated code can do either `import * as el from './el_runtime.js'` or assume globals).
+
+**The codegen-js generated output uses the global-namespace style:** every emitted file starts with `import './el_runtime.js'` (which side-effects the globals) so call sites stay flat — `println(x)` not `el.println(x)`. This matches the C backend's flat call surface and keeps the generated code grep-compatible across targets.
+
+### Implemented today (~30 builtins)
+
+| Category | Functions |
+|---|---|
+| I/O | `println`, `print` |
+| String | `el_str_concat`, `str_concat`, `str_eq`, `str_starts_with`, `str_ends_with`, `str_len`, `int_to_str`, `str_to_int`, `str_slice`, `str_contains`, `str_replace`, `str_to_upper`, `str_to_lower`, `str_trim`, `str_index_of`, `str_split`, `str_char_at`, `str_char_code`, `str_lower`, `str_upper` |
+| Math | `el_abs`, `el_max`, `el_min` |
+| List | `el_list_new`, `el_list_len`, `el_list_get`, `el_list_append`, `el_list_empty`, `el_list_clone`, `list_push`, `list_join`, `list_range` |
+| Map | `el_map_new`, `el_get_field`, `el_map_get`, `el_map_set` |
+| HTTP | `http_get`, `http_post`, `http_post_json` (via `fetch()`, returns `Promise<string>` — see §5 async caveat) |
+| FS | `fs_read`, `fs_write`, `fs_list` (Node-only, throw in browser) |
+| JSON | `json_parse`, `json_stringify`, `json_get`, `json_get_string`, `json_get_int` |
+| Time | `time_now`, `time_now_utc`, `sleep_secs` (Node), `sleep_ms` |
+| Bool | `bool_to_str` |
+| Process | `exit_program` (Node `process.exit`, throw in browser) |
+| Refcount | `el_retain`, `el_release` (no-ops — JS has GC) |
+| ARC method-call shortforms | `append`, `len`, `get`, `map_get`, `map_set` |
+| Native VM aliases | `native_list_get`, `native_list_len`, `native_list_append`, `native_list_empty`, `native_list_clone`, `native_string_chars`, `native_int_to_str` |
+| `args` | `args()` returns `process.argv.slice(2)` in Node, `[]` in browser |
+| `state_*` | In-memory `Map` keyed by string |
+| `env` | `process.env[k]` in Node, throws in browser |
+
+### Stubbed (throw at runtime)
+
+Every function in this list compiles successfully but throws `Error("not supported in JS target — needs server-side delegation: <name>")` when called. This is a **runtime** error, not a compile error, so it doesn't block compilation of code that has dead-code paths through these functions.
+
+- All `dharma_*` (membership in DHARMA network requires the daemon)
+- All `engram_*` (needs the embedded SQLite + activation engine — could be reimplemented in JS later)
+- All `llm_*` (CORS + API key handling — must go through a server-side proxy)
+- `http_serve` (browsers don't host servers; Node could, but that's a separate runtime mode)
+- `el_cgi_init` (CGI identity is a server-side concept)
+- Crypto: `sha256_*`, `hmac_sha256_*`, `base64*` (deferred — can use `crypto.subtle` later)
+
+### Browser-side specific behavior
+
+When running in a browser:
+- `println` / `print` map to `console.log` (no stdout in browsers)
+- `http_get` / `http_post` use `fetch()` (CORS applies)
+- `fs_*` throws (browsers have no fs)
+- `args()` returns `[]`
+- `env(k)` throws (or could read from a global config object — TBD)
+
+When running in Node:
+- `println` / `print` map to `console.log` and `process.stdout.write`
+- `fs_*` use `node:fs/promises` (sync versions for the simple cases)
+- `args()` returns `process.argv.slice(2)`
+- `env(k)` returns `process.env[k] ?? null`
+
+The runtime auto-detects via `typeof window === 'undefined'`.
+
+---
+
+## 4. Tradeoffs vs the C backend
+
+| Concern | C backend | JS backend |
+|---|---|---|
+| **Static types** | El's `Int` becomes `int64_t`, real arithmetic | El's `Int` becomes `number` — loses precision past 2^53 |
+| **Linking model** | Static link against `el_runtime.c` + libcurl + libpthread | ES module import of `el_runtime.js` |
+| **Dynamic dispatch** | `dlsym` for `http_set_handler` / `llm_register_tool` (requires `-rdynamic`) | JS function value lookup via `globalThis[name]` — no compiler flag |
+| **Tool registry** | dlsym walks symbol table; tool fns must be top-level C symbols | Tool fns live as exports of the generated module; trivially callable |
+| **Memory model** | Refcounted lists/maps with `el_retain`/`el_release` to avoid leaks | JS GC handles all of it; `el_retain`/`el_release` are no-ops |
+| **`+` overload** | Has to dispatch in codegen between `el_str_concat` and integer `+` because at C level both are `int64_t` | JS `+` is already overloaded: `"a" + "b"` → `"ab"`, `1 + 2` → `3`. Codegen still preserves the existing dispatch for safety, but the runtime fallback is correct |
+| **Concurrency** | `pthread`-backed `http_serve` | Single-threaded event loop; `http_serve` not supported in this target |
+| **HTTP client** | libcurl, blocking, returns body string | `fetch()` is async — see §5 |
+| **CGI identity** | `el_cgi_init` runs at start of `main()` | Not supported; UI code is not a CGI principal |
+| **DHARMA / LLM** | Native, blocking, libcurl-backed | Not supported — all such calls throw and the program is expected to delegate to a server-side El daemon via plain HTTP |
+| **Compile speed** | El → C → cc → binary (cc is the slow step) | El → JS → done. Faster iteration |
+| **Output size** | Static binary ~2MB | Source `.js` + ~10kb runtime |
+
+---
+
+## 5. The async problem (the big deferred decision)
+
+`fetch()` is async. The C backend's `http_get(url)` is synchronous and returns the body string directly. El source was written assuming sync. Three options:
+
+1. **Pretend it's sync from El's POV; use synchronous XHR (browser) or `child_process.execSync('curl …')` (Node).** Bad: synchronous XHR is deprecated and frozen on the main thread; `execSync` is a hack.
+2. **Make every `http_*` builtin in the JS runtime return a `Promise`, and rewrite codegen-js to insert `await` everywhere.** This requires turning every El function that transitively calls a network builtin into an `async fn` in JS. Doable, but invasive — the El AST does not currently mark async-ness.
+3. **Compile El's call sites with implicit await; compile-time taint tracking marks every fn that transitively calls a network builtin as `async`. Generated JS uses `async function` and `await`.** This is the right answer long-term.
+
+**Decision for this scaffold:** option 3, but only the runtime side is implemented. `http_get` in `el_runtime.js` returns a `Promise<string>`. `codegen-js.el` does NOT yet emit `async`/`await`. Calling `http_get` from compiled El will return a Promise that the El program will treat as a string (which produces `"[object Promise]"`). This is documented and accepted for the scaffold; the compile-time taint pass is a follow-up.
+
+For now, programs that don't touch HTTP work correctly. That covers `el-ui/runtime` (which only manipulates the DOM and a graph), most of cgi-studio's pure UI components, and all hello-world style programs.
+
+---
+
+## 6. Number precision
+
+JS `number` is IEEE 754 double — only 53 bits of integer precision. El `Int` is `int64_t` and the runtime sometimes uses the full 64 bits (e.g. `time_now_utc` returns nanoseconds-since-epoch, which exceeds 2^53 in practice).
+
+**Decision for this scaffold:** accept the precision loss. Document it. UI code does not use 64-bit timestamps. If/when a use case demands it, `time_now_utc` can return a `BigInt` and we can introduce a `BigInt` sub-mode. That's a follow-up.
+
+---
+
+## 7. What's NOT supported in JS target initially
+
+This is the canonical list. Programs that use any of these compile (no `#error`-style fail-fast like the C backend's capability check) but throw at runtime or behave as documented.
+
+| Feature | Status | Notes |
+|---|---|---|
+| `cgi {}` block | Compiled to a no-op + warning comment | CGI identity is server-side. UI code is not a CGI. |
+| `service {}` block | Compiled to a no-op + warning comment | Same. |
+| All `dharma_*` | Stub throws | Programs needing DHARMA must call a server-side daemon over HTTP |
+| All `engram_*` | Stub throws | Could be ported to in-browser (IndexedDB-backed) later |
+| All `llm_*` | Stub throws | Browser cannot hold API keys; route through server |
+| `llm_register_tool` | Stub throws | Same |
+| `http_serve` | Stub throws | Browsers cannot serve. Node-mode could, deferred |
+| `http_set_handler` | Stub throws | Same |
+| `match` expressions | Compiled (basic) | LitInt/LitStr/LitBool/Wildcard/Binding all work via `if/else` chain. Tagged-union match deferred |
+| `type` (struct) defs | Skipped at codegen | Treated as documentation; structs are plain JS objects. `t["field"]` works |
+| `enum` defs | Skipped at codegen | Same — enum values are bare strings or ints |
+| `?` postfix (nil-prop) | No-op | Same as C backend's current state |
+| `try` postfix | Stripped to inner | Same as C backend |
+| Capability enforcement | Not enforced | The C backend uses `#error` directives; the JS backend lets the runtime stubs throw. Future: emit `throw new Error('capability violation')` at compile time |
+| VBD role check | Not enforced | Same |
+| Float bit-cast | Not needed | JS number is already a double |
+| Crypto primitives | Stub throws | Easy to add via `crypto.subtle` later |
+| `state_*` | In-memory only | No persistence; resets on page reload |
+| `args()` | Node-only | Browser returns `[]` |
+| `fs_*` | Node-only | Browser throws |
+
+---
+
+## 8. CLI dispatch — `--target=js`
+
+The compiler entry point `compiler.el` adds a `compile_js(source: String) -> String` alongside the existing `compile()`. The CLI behavior:
+
+```
+elc <source.el> <output>          # default — emit C
+elc --target=c <source.el> <out>  # explicit — emit C
+elc --target=js <source.el> <out> # emit JS
+
+elc --target=js source.el         # write JS to stdout (no out path)
+```
+
+The argv parser scans for a `--target=<lang>` token; remaining positional args are `<source>` and optional `<out>`. The dispatch logic stays in El: a `compile_dispatch(target, source) -> String` switch.
+
+---
+
+## 9. The path to compiling el-ui/runtime through this backend
+
+This is the real-world test. `el-ui/runtime/src/` is currently 5 hand-written `.js` files. The path to authoring them in El:
+
+1. **Phase 1 — Hello-world** (this scaffold). Done.
+2. **Phase 2 — language coverage.** Get codegen-js to ~95% parity with codegen.el for non-network features. Specifically: `match`, struct/enum field access, `?`-propagation, full `for`-over-list, complete unary/binary operators, lexical closures (the C backend doesn't have these but we'll need them for el-ui's component model).
+3. **Phase 3 — DOM bridge.** Add `dom_*` builtins to el_runtime.js: `dom_create_element`, `dom_set_text`, `dom_append_child`, `dom_query`, `dom_listen`, etc. These are Node-as-El builtins for the browser; the C backend will add a stub set that errors. Source-shareable El UI code becomes possible.
+4. **Phase 4 — Component class lowering.** El doesn't have classes; el-ui's `Component` is a JS class. Decide: extend El with a `component` keyword that compiles to JS class + C struct? Or have el-ui authors define components as `fn render_<name>(state) -> String` and provide a small bootstrap. The latter is the lower-impact path.
+5. **Phase 5 — Async taint pass.** Implement compile-time async tracking so `http_get` and friends produce `await fetch()` correctly. Required before authoring code that fetches data.
+6. **Phase 6 — Port `el-ui/runtime/`.** Translate the 5 JS files to El, compile to JS, swap in. Run el-ui's existing tests. Iterate.
+7. **Phase 7 — Port cgi-studio UI.** Larger surface area; same pattern.
+8. **Phase 8 — Marketplace plugins.** Open the door for third-party UI El.
+
+The blocking item between phase 1 and phase 2 is incremental — every El construct used by el-ui's source needs codegen-js coverage. Phase 5 (async) is the architectural decision that needs explicit user buy-in, because it changes the language's effective semantics on the JS target.
+
+---
+
+## 10. Test
+
+```bash
+echo 'fn main() -> Void { println("hello from el-js") }' > /tmp/hello.el
+elc --target=js /tmp/hello.el > /tmp/hello.js
+node /tmp/hello.js
+# → hello from el-js
+```
+
+This should pass after the bootstrap rebuild. See §11.
+
+---
+
+## 11. Bootstrap status
+
+Adding `--target=js` to `compile()` requires regenerating the shipped `elc` binary at `dist/platform/elc`. The rebuild path is:
+
+1. Existing `elc` binary compiles updated `elc-combined.el` (which now includes `codegen-js.el` and the `--target=js` dispatch) → `elc.c`.
+2. `cc` compiles `elc.c` → new `elc` binary.
+3. New `elc` binary supports `--target=js`.
+
+The scaffold checks all four scaffold files in. The bootstrap rebuild happens as a follow-up step, gated on review of this design doc.